


Accidents Happen

by AvionVadion



Category: Vampire Knight (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Action, Awkward Flirting, Background Character Death, Bad Pick-Up Lines, Bad Puns, Bloodlust, Depression, Drama & Romance, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Eventual Sexual Humor, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Human/Vampire Friendship, Human/Vampire Relationship, Humor, Male Friendship, Male-Female Friendship, Minor Character Death, Original Character(s), Other, Separation Anxiety, Sexual Tension, Slow Burn, Social Anxiety, Temporary Amnesia, Vampire Hunters, Vampire/Vampire Relationship, Vampires
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-03-18
Updated: 2018-08-07
Packaged: 2018-10-07 00:30:58
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 24
Words: 207,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10348308
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AvionVadion/pseuds/AvionVadion
Summary: When Irene found out her two friends were leaving her to go to Japan for a scholarship as Foreign Exchange Students, she was devastated. Not long after, however, she found out that she was being given one of the same kind for the most ridiculous of reasons. Unsure as to what the Chairman was thinking when he gave her that, or if he ever thought at all, she found herself being dragged along as the loyal friend she was. However, when she and Skylar get separated from Eliza due to her being a Night Class student, things start to get a bit hectic.It gets even worse when they actually start interacting with the mysterious students, a simple mishap caused by a gust of wind knocking all the papers out of her hands. Accidents always happen, some good some bad, and as her friend constantly argues with the silver-haired prefect Irene is still trying to figure out if coming to Cross Academy was a mistake or not.





	1. A Strange Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When Irene's two friends receive scholarships and are to leave the country, the girl is left quite upset. But then she receives a phonecall from a certain headmaster, informing her that she herself is transferring...?

The thing about regrets is that, when you _do_ have them, you aren't entirely sure how or when they'll happen. The thing about regrets is that you know it'll happen even before they'll happen, simply because your fear of the future and the unknown create so much anxiety within you, making you dread every living moment you spend alone thinking about decisions and when or if you'll have to make them. It's agonizing, especially for one who is so indecisive and uncertain, and it gets to the point where they fear being alone in general. A contradiction if you're an introvert, as you find peace in times when you spend a while alone, but wish to be around others who understood you. You want to be with friends.

And two of my friends were leaving for Japan, having gotten scholarships to an incredibly pricey academy where usually only the rich and the elite manage to get in. They were both honor roll, being exceedingly intelligent, and were leaving me by myself. Of course, I had other friends, but these two I was particularly close to. Eliza Ferret I had known since Middle School, having been friends with her for about five years now, and Skylar Rosemary I had known since my Sophomore year, which made us friends for about a year and a half now. It was amazing how clingy one could become.

I was dreading their departure, as they were leaving after the end of the first school trimester, and was moping to myself quietly at the lunch table when the Office used the intercom and called me. I panicked, freaking out as I wondered what was going on and if I had done anything wrong-going through my brain as to what I could have possibly done when I was the least non-trouble student there was. I could think of nothing, but I only grew more nervous when I entered the Office and they told me there a person on the phone that wanted to speak with me.

 _Did they call one of my parents?_ Was my first thought, lost and unsure as to why they felt a need to call my dad, mom, or even my step-mom. I doubted they had called for anything; they would have let me know beforehand if there was something I needed to know. So what?

I got my answer when I picked the phone up, reluctantly holding it to my ear as the world felt like it was ending all around me. My hands felt a bit sweaty, and even after I wiped them on my jeans they still felt a bit clammy. "H-Hello?" My voice sounded small when I started speaking, so I cleared my throat and spoke clearer. "Who is this?"

A man with the slightest bit of an accent responded. _"Are you Irene Taylor?"_ I blinked, even more at a loss at what was happening but trying to pinpoint where his accent came from. It wasn't Filipino, I've heard that accent so many times because of my step-mom and her friends being of that ethnicity, not to mention one of the people I talk to here at my school, and it wasn't Korean or British. It sounded more... Realization dawned on me.

"Y-Yeah.."

 _"Wonderful!"_ The seriousness in the voice faded away almost instantly, a cheerful and bright tone overwhelming it. _"My name is Kaien Cross, and I run the Academy your friends will be going to. The secretary or Vice-Principal of your school should have the documents about the offer..."_ He mentioned my friends with a strange tone of voice. I wondered how he even knew I was friends with them. I guessed one of them told him about me on the phone or something-they've been called up plenty of times. But what documents? _"While your mathematical grades could use some work, your English and Language Arts grades are quite exceptional. There's also the matter of your friend-Miss Rosemary. You see, Cross Academy is divided up into two sectors-the Night Class, for the most elite and prestigious of our students, and the Day Class. Miss Skylar will not have a roommate due to the odd amount of numbers in the Day Class, and Eliza is absolutely unable to transfer from the Night Class to the Day Class; it wouldn't be good for her education, you see? And I know you three are quite close."_ He sounded so giddy as he said that. _"So I was thinking of extending my offer... how would you like to come to Japan and transfer to Cross Academy as our third, and final, Foreign Exchange student?"_

Wh... What? No. What? Isn't that entirely unprofessional? This whole offer-it makes no sense! My grades are average; I can't just transfer because of an odd number of students. I-I mean, it would be _nice_ to go I guess, but... I only know bits of Japanese. My parents-Being a Foreign Exchange student is expensive business. "I... I don't have the money..." We're poor. Eliza and Skylar just barely managed to get the Scholarships-I can't get mine just because of something like this. ...Can I? "And I don't know if my parents will let me-"

_"I've already taken care of that! You're being given a Scholarship as well, and I'm paying for the trip expenses. I've spoken with your parents; the office was quite kind in giving me their information. I'll be arriving in America to pick you and your friends up; please having everything ready in three weeks-we'll be departing on that Wednesday."_

At least give me a chance to speak! Why did he ask for my opinion when he already went ahead and signed me up!?

"O-Okay...?" I was unable to express my annoyance or uncomfortable I was with the situation, at a loss. "I-I don't know Japanese... or how to read Kanji... o-or manners."

_"You'll do great! You'll be spending the time before the start of the second trimester learning how to speak and write. If worst comes to worst, we'll print out your homework and textbooks in English, though you will still be required to speak in order to communicate properly as not all our students know your language."_

"Oh... Okay." That makes sense, I guess. Um... wait, why am I going along with this?

_"Marvelous~ So I trust to see you, Miss Rosemary, and Miss Ferret at the airport on the decided day. Three weeks, that Wednesday. Do you have it memorized?"_

"Uh, Yeah. Yeah. Three weeks on a Wednesday."

 _"Great. I'll be seeing you then."_ With that he hung up, and I was little standing there blankly in the office, just staring at the phone dumbfounded.

The next few days went by rather strangely, having to text and talk to both sides of my family in order to ask about the guy and why they agreed to let me go to Japan so easily despite how I've never left the house for anything except Band. Father was reluctant, but agreed, and Malaya-my step-mother-just complained because she thought I was going to keel over without anyone watching over me. _"I know you! You'll forget to eat, or you won't go to sleep, and you say "I know, I know," Or "yeah, yeah" when I know better! Dress warmly while you're there-go to bed early!"_ She lectured me for being unable to take proper care of myself, and my birth mother was in tears as she didn't want her youngest to leave the country so soon after having been told her only son was going to live in Hawaii.

I'd be able to call them once a week, separately of course, as part of being a Foreign Exchange Student was to be able to branch off from your family in order to prepare yourself for the real world. I wonder how long it'll take for me to get homesick? Hm. Fun thought.

Skylar was ecstatic though- she and Eliza both had mentioned me to the Headmaster, or the Chairman for a different title, and somehow managed to convince him to let me go with them.

"Three Americans in a Japanese High School," I commented, musing the thought, "We're gonna make them all go insane."

Eliza snorted at that, while Skylar laughed loudly. I perked up suddenly, realizing- "Holy crap! We're gonna get to use chopsticks! On a daily basis! Dude, we get to eat with _chopsticks!_ " This is going to be great. Eliza was greatly amused at my enthusiasm, watching as I waved my hands in the air, and Skylar started to get excited right along with me.

The next few days after that consisted of informing our friends and teachers about what was happening, my friend since childhood Andrew getting rather ticked off that I was leaving him alone in America while I went off to the birthland of anime, and Dorthy just made jokes and told us to look out for squids or octopi- and that Japan itself was completely different from what anime makes it look like.

We knew that, of course, not that Eliza even _watched_ anime-I'm trying to get her into it though, and since we'll be living at the dorms 24/7 that should be easy even if Skylar and I are Day Class and Eliza Night Class. She's so lucky-she doesn't have to get up super early anymore. _Lame~_ So lame and unfair. The brown-haired, blue-eyed beauty just laughed and jokingly apologized, before saying she believed in us and had faith we would survive.

I said I wouldn't, as I was always on the verge of passing out in class anyway, and reminded her that back in Middle School I slept in all my classes whenever I had free time-when I wasn't drawing, of course.

More days passed and the teachers stopped giving us homework, and before long we had to get ready to leave. Wednesday came and we were all packed and ready at the airport, saying goodbye to our families and whatnot. My brother had to leave early due to work, but both my sisters and my parents managed to stay until we left.

Skylar said goodbye to her mother, brother, and little sister, and Eliza her little sister, father, mom, and step-dad. My mother kept crying, as did my eldest sister, and that caused me to get really emotional and feel really bad about what I was doing as the last time I had made my sister cry was back when I was still in Elementary school and she thought I had gotten kidnapped at the Farmer's Fair. Even when I try to avoid trouble I always ended up causing it...

I just wanted to stay with them, I really didn't want to go, but what was done was done and I boarded the plane with the strangely exuberant sandy blond chairman and my two friends.

He explained further about the school, some of the important rules and a few minor ones, and mentioned that they had "Prefects". A disciplinary committee. There were only two people, oddly, and they were both of his adopted children. A supposedly sweet, strong-willed girl named Yuuki Cross and a slightly bullheaded, but "secretly kind" as he put it, Zero Kiryuu. I asked why he didn't have the same last name as him and Kaien said that Zero preferred to keep his family name. I noticed he put the first names first instead of last, probably to keep up from getting confused until we actually got to Japan.

I fell asleep for most of the ride, deciding that was the best course of action to get rid of my anxiety of being so high up in the air, and woke up only to use the bathroom or snack on some the treats the air hostess gave away. I had a few dollars in my wallet, father insisting I bring it, and I was hungry. Skylar was munching hungrily on a burrito and a couple crackers. Eliza was napping away, drinking a red liquid I deemed as kool-aid or fruit punch. Wait, wasn't fruit punch kool-aid?

I thought about it as we landed, and carefully shook her awake. "Eliza-darling, wake up. We're here." And thank god... The view was lovely, but my mind would not stop playing scenarios of crashes and death and even odder scenarios of me falling out the window. How that would happen I did not know, but my brain made it seem possible. The brunette groaned, groggily opening her eyes, and blinked a few times before hissing and covering her eyes. It was rather bright out, so I understood her reaction.

I yawned, "I know, right? Hurts." I stretched loudly then, Chairman Cross getting up out of his seat and standing, flinching when his back popped.

"I'm growing too old... " We managed to make our way through the hordes of people, barely keeping together, and the blond shouted, "Over there! Grab the suitcases!" We scrambled over, me following behind Eliza and Skylar awkwardly as if I were their shadows, and tentatively made my way through the people to grab my bright blue suitcase and my red duffel bag. Kaien let out a sigh of relief when he saw we got everything. "Wonderful!"

A thought hit me, making me confused. Why would he waste money to arrive at America to pick us up, just to get back on the plane directly after? He was barely there a few days. This guy was ridiculous-that, or he just liked spending money. Probably both. "Ow!" A person bumped into me, causing me to cry out and stumble, nearly collapsing after tripping over my suitcases. I made an irritable noise, flinching a little at the cut that had formed on the side of my hand from the sharpness of the suitcase's corner.

Eliza blinked, alarm flashing across her face, and Skylar was asking if I was okay when Kaien suddenly whipped out a band-aid. "It's best to keep them on you while you're here," He informed, just confusing me further. I figured that being a rich school, they didn't want a commoner's blood on anything. Then I berated myself silently for such a rude thought. I have no right to judge.

"You might have to get her a whole box then," Eliza told him, smiling, "She's always hurting herself."

"It's not my fault I'm clumsy!" I defended, acting like I was hurt by her words, before straightening my back and saying dramatically with a hand against my chest, "Besides, I'll need more than one box; just buy me a whole cabinet full." She laughed, and Skylar snorted as she munched on a cookie that she bought on the plane. "A-Anyway," I continued, choking a bit on my words as I took notice of just how out of place we were. My chest tightened, heart aching quite a bit as I recalled home. I shouldn't even be here-not really. "Uh, w-where are we heading? D-Directly to the school or-?"

"Yup. I've called a good friend of mine to come pick us up. He's a bit rough, but he's really nice. You'll see! It's been so long since I've spoke to him too..." Kaien looked thoughtful, rubbing his chin, before waving it off. "He sounded a little grumpy when I called him, but it should be fine! Let's go! We need to get you started on those lessons immediately!"

Again, I found myself questioning him. This wasn't just some elaborate kidnapping trap, was it? I decided that if it was I'd find a way to get Skylar and Eliza out, even if it meant I ended up remaining stuck. I'm not good at much, but I make a brilliant target and distraction. Loud, annoying, never shuts up... yeah. If it comes down to it, I'll tackle the guy and/or his friend. That should give just enough time for the girls to get a head start on running.

I eyed the "Headmaster" suspiciously the whole time, nervous and uncomfortable about this whole thing, my paranoia going on overdrive; it became even worse when we left the airport and got to the parking lot, where a sleek-ish black car was located. I didn't pay much attention to the types of cars, so I couldn't tell you what kind or version it was. It was just a black car to me. As Kaien opened the doors for us after we threw our things in the truck we got in, a man with wavy black hair and grumpy blue eyes grumbled at us.

"I'm not your stupid taxi service," He grouched, "I had to drive all the way here from where I was posted just to drive your lazy ass back to the Academy. Couldn't you have gotten one of your precious "students" to do it? I'm busy!"

"Now, now, Touga, no need to be so harsh! Just look at the three new cute students I picked up from America!"

"You're a creepy old man, you know that?"

Kaien's eyes watered up and tears streamed down his face, the male's shoulders shaking as he whined, "You're so cruel~! I'm still young!"

The man named Touga just huffed and glanced at the rearview mirror, looking back at us. I quickly squeezed into the middle seat, allowing Eliza and Skyler to have the doors incase we needed to make a quick escape. _Brain, just stop. Nothing's going to happen. We're... fine. We're just fine._ I inhaled deeply, letting out a sigh, before draping my head against Eliza's shoulder. I wasn't sure if it was because I was tired or just uncomfortable with the change of scenery, but my imagination was just going ludicrously wild.

If I had looked, I would have seen Touga's eyes narrow at Eliza, the normally calm and relaxed girl eying him coolly. His eyes then flickered to me, knitting his eyebrows together, before gazing at Skyler who just smiled at the window, knowing what it most likely was he was thinking.

It was going to be so weird not seeing Eliza... her classes are all going to be during the night, which meant she'd be sleeping all day. We wouldn't even be able to text each other and respond instantly. I'd probably say something about sneaking in the dorms to see her, but I knew I never would actually do that if it meant getting in trouble. At least I would still have Skyler. 24/7 as roommates... this'll be interesting.

A true test of friendship I suppose. I smiled a little at the thought, finding it quite funny, before hugging Eliza's arm. _How's all this going to play out?_ I frowned, eyes closed. Were we just going to be reading dictionaries and books on how to speak the language? What's even going to become of us in the future? We don't know what the people are like. What if they're all cruel?

_I hate bullies._

We arrived not long after, maybe a two hour drive at most, before Touga stopped the car and gave the chairman a hard glare. "Now get out."

"Can I get a hug?"

"No."

"But Touga~!" He whined, reaching out and trying to grab onto his friend, but the male simply dodged and pushed him back by his head, forcefully kicking him out of the door and slamming it shut before he could enter. Kaien was crying again, hands and face pressed against the window in mourning as he gazed longingly at his friend. He must _really_ want that hug. I understand that. "Why don't you love me~?"

Touga promptly ignored him, giving us a similar stare as he looked at us through the mirror. "Same goes to you three; get out."

We didn't complain, though I think Skylar muttered something about grumpy old men, of which I commented he was at least late thirties. She said that wasn't the point, and I shrugged and told her I knew that.

The Academy was _gargantuan._ Not huge, not giant, but colossal. I don't think I've ever seen a building as big as that before. It reminded me a lot of some kind of medieval castle, something that actually made me quite happy and the artist in me squeal silently with joy, or a building based off the gothic art style. It was _so_ freaking cool... I just stared in awe, taking in the sight, and it took Skylar shaking me by the shoulder to snap me out of it and hurriedly follow after her, Eliza, and Kaien.

Bells suddenly rang out when we were halfway to the main doors and you could see people rushing out of the buildings, boys and girls varying from fifteen to about eighteen or nineteen walking and/or running out of the dorms that we were heading into. The first thing I noticed, however, was their outfits.

Uniforms. Skirts for girls, pants for males. Sexist, but fashionable. They were black, the blazers being decorated with white stripes that went down the sides of the sleeves and across the chest of the blazers. They wore what looked like a white button up underneath, accompanied by-depending the gender-a crimson bow or tie. Most of the girls wore thigh-highs alongside their skirt, some calf-length socks. I mentally pat myself on the back for grabbing leggings when I packed my clothes.

I'd prefer pants, but if it meant I was going to get in trouble I'd stick with the skirt.

Kaien led us through the dorm, greeting multiple students cheerfully and bidding them what I assumed to be "good morning" in Japanese, as I had at least heard that word used enough times from all the anime I watched. The students looked shocked to see him there, and even more surprised to see us-three random Americans. It was probably rare to get one, but three transfer students? Shocking. But soon enough he led us to a dormroom-inside was a simple dresser, closet, a desk, and two beds. The walls were cream colored and the floor a blue-gray carpet. There was also a door that I assumed led to a bathroom. "This is where you and Miss Taylor will be staying during your last two years here," He explained to Skyler and me, "Please make yourselves at home. There are books in the desk over there that should help you get started on learning the language."

" _Why didn't he make us learn before having us come here?"_ was my question.

"Miss Ferret," Chairman Cross began again, looking at our sleepy blue-eyed friend. His smile seemed to grow even wider when he saw how I was clinging to her arm after I set my suitcase and duffel bag down. "Please, follow me. I'll guide you to the Night Class Dorms."

With that said, I reluctantly released my friend for what was probably going to be the last time and watched her follow him out of the room. Silence filled the air, and as I shifted from foot-to-foot thinking of what to say Skyler broke the ice with a simple and blunt, "I'm hungry."  

Startled, and finally feeling the nausea from not eating too often on the plane, I just burst out laughing at the spontaneousness of the comment. 

 


	2. Introductory Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eliza gets introduced to the Night Class and Irene and Skylar make themselves known at Cross Academy.

The trek to the Night Dorms was almost suffocating. Eliza hadn't been around her people in... forever, actually. Aside from those few in her family, she never really met another of her kind except for the rare American with Vampiric heritage that she'd pass in the street or in the mall. She'd been at Human schools for the entirety of her life, which was the whole reason she managed to meet Irene and Skylar in the first place. And now that she was being separated from them... she wasn't sure how she felt about it.

"It's just so amazing~!" The Chairman squealed, gushing about her friendship with the two Humans whom she had come here with. "To think we have a young vampire such as yourself friends with not only a Hunter, but a normal Human as well! This is the whole reason I had Cross Academy built, and to think that such a friendship was even _possible_ in another country as well! When I talked to you on the phone and found out about it, I _had_ to get all three of you here! It'll be a prime example to the young students of our Night Class to let them know that peace between our races _is_ possible~! Everything we've been striving for-I just _know_ you'll be able to help speed things along!"

"Y-Yes..." Eliza wasn't even sure how she felt about that; it would be great for Vampires, Hunters, _and_ Humans to get along, but she had only started getting talking to the girls by coincidence. She had classes with Irene before, but she was always so quiet with her nose either stuck in a book or she was drawing away. It wasn't until the end of the year where they were sitting next to each other and actually spoke more than one sentence that they started talking. Skylar had been a transfer student from another school, being introduced to them during Band Class, and she had gotten bored at her lunch table and asked to sit with them as she recognized them from her section. There was a lot of awkwardness in the beginning, but she started participating in the conversations and Irene's ramblings of _Undertale_ and once anime was mentioned, it became a done deal for them as people for becoming friends. It took a bit longer for Eliza, but she did start talking to Skylar as well.

Maybe it was strange she felt no bloodlust despite being surrounded by humans for so long, but she was under the belief it was _because_ she was surrounded by humans for so long that she felt nothing. She also has never had human blood before, instead drinking from her vampiric parent like every other child vampire and using those blood tablets that had gone out onto the market a while back.

"I'd like to help," She answered honestly, more confident. It would be nice to have a world where no one was hating on each other; it was unrealistic-probably brought on from being next to the pacifistic Irene for so long-but it was a nice thought. "Though I'm not entirely sure how I'll be able to. Skylar and I are aware of each other's existence, but Irene..." The girl was a living target for danger, not to mention how she always gets so easily scared. If she found out about Eliza being a Vampire, she would... _No. Would she be scared?_ That girl was as Hufflepuff as Hufflepuff can come. If anything, it would just be awkward between them.

"Yes, yes, I'm aware of that. It's just... for so long I've working towards this dream! And to think that it could be made possible... I'm just so excited. Oh! Look, we're here." The headmaster laughed, seeming carefree as ever. It made Eliza wonder why someone so goofy was working towards such a serious goal, but didn't think any less of him. She was friends with two of the most ridiculous people after all. Kaien said something in Japanese to the creepy hooded man, the gate guardian she supposed. He must be there to keep unwanted guests out. After a moment the hooded man nodded and they made their way towards the dorms.

A man was waiting for them inside. But not just any man.

Eliza felt the hairs on her arms bristle, goosebumps running along her skin in what felt almost akin to fear at the stranger in front of her. She had little experience with those of her own kind, but even she was knowledgeable enough to know just _who_ this person was. Her senses told her right away, the smell giving away his rank.

 _A pureblood._ The only kind of vampire with a Vampire-only bloodline, no Humans tainting their family line. This man was tall, perhaps six foot, with brown hair that appeared almost black, curly and draping down to the nape of his neck. Bangs fell into his garnet red eyes, framing his delicate but mature face.

He wore a uniform similar to those she saw earlier, the only difference being that the base was white and the stripes were black.

The man greeted Kaien, saying "Cross" and giving her enough hint to let her know that he was addressing him. Low and deep, his voice was smooth as butter and it scared her right down to her bone. _This_ kind of person was in this Academy? The man turned his head and looked down at her, and Eliza hated how he made her feel so small and insignificant when they've never even met before. This must be the true power of the purebloods... She almost wished she had remained back in America.

He spoke then, speaking slowly and in slightly rough English. "You are... Riza, yes?" Unlike the Headmaster, he had a bit more trouble pronouncing the "L" in her name. The name Riza actually sounded a bit familiar, which she guessed was because it was the name of a character in one of the animes Irene watched. "Welcome to Cross Academy."

"Th-Thanks..." His smile was so fake. Eliza's stomach twisted sickly, and she tensed when she could feel the presence of other Vampires nearing the common room from which they were standing in. Her eyes raised up to look at the strangers residing on the staircase, some leaning over the balcony. They must have smelled her a mile away.

They were all incredibly beautiful, she noticed with a start. They were all probably a higher level than her-Level B, aristocrats. Eliza was a level C, a Vampire indeed, but with much more Human in her than others. She observed their forms briefly-two blondes, a ginger and a girl with bright orange hair, a pale brunette, and a boy with a messy mop of maroon hair who looked like he wanted to be anywhere but there. He was standing next to the orange-haired girl. Hidden in the corner was a girl with hair a silvery-blue.

She ripped her gaze away and looked back up at the Pureblood in front of her, questioning why she ever thought this was a good idea.

...

I rummaged through my suitcase, lazily plopping everything onto what I had claimed as my bed. It was farthest from the window and closest to the door. Skylar did the same, though had only gotten halfway through unpacking before she gave up and just collapsed on her bed. Jetlag. I was extremely tired as well, and I felt like I was going to pass out on the spot, but I was still a little paranoid and I knew that if I didn't get this done now I would take ages to finish it later.

After a little bit exploring I found that there were two boxes inside the dresser-inside them were packages, and inside those were two female uniforms. I showed them to Skylar, and we knew instantly whose was whose. She looked a bit ticked at the skirt, while I was just uncomfortable, and she mumbled something about how she was going to have to steal some poor guy's pants.

We talked a bit after that, and I got to work on reading up on the books that the Chairman said were in the dresser. I knew some bits already, like how to say "good morning" or "goodnight", and "good afternoon". "Jeez" and "Yes". "Shut up" and "Sit down". I also knew how to introduce myself, and some of the honorifics and their meanings, but I couldn't really do full sentences. I spent a good two hours reading that, before I finally decided to call it a night and pass out on the bed.

The next time I awoke Skylar had finished unpacking, officially claiming the closet as hers and saying I could keep the dresser. She popped into the shower, I read a bit more, and after another hour and a half there was a knock on the door with two of the Day Class students on the other side. They explained in perfect English that they were going to be our tutors, and that we were going to be starting the next day. Tutoring us was part of their grade, seeing how they were taking time out of their actual classes to help us, thanks to the chairman.

Four weeks. We had four weeks to learn how to speak and write Japanese.

Needless to say Skylar was doing well in both parts, being the genius she was, but I had trouble speaking it more than I did writing it. It was the same as it was in my Spanish class before-I could write it just fine, but I chickened out whenever it came to speaking it because I feared I would always say it wrong.

It was weird being reverted to such a quiet state, as I was always so loud and talkative in English.

Skylar _did_ actually manage to steal pants from some poor innocent student, which I lectured her for, but she just laughed and asked if I wanted a pair too. I told her I did, but I wasn't going to steal them. The day eventually came where we had to go the classes, which meant wearing the uniform. I appreciated the button up shirt and the bow, and the blazer was quite cool. I just disliked the skirt. I put up with it though, pulling on a pair of brown leggings, and slipped on my sneakers.

"Where'd you get the fancy shoes?" I asked in confusion as we were getting ready, struggling a bit with my bow as she put her shoes on. Skylar blinked, dyed-purple bangs falling into her face as her dark eyes looked at me.

"Huh? Oh. I stole those too."

"Skylar~!" I whined, "You're not supposed to do that! That's so mean!"

"But it's fun! I asked first, so you can't yell at me. Besides, you love me anyway." She laughed at me. I made a face, before sarcastically saying,

"Sometimes I wonder."

"Hey!"

I laughed loudly, sounding a bit like a hyena as I did so with my "Hyah hyah hyah", before finishing tying my bow and straightening it.

We were just about to head out when there was a knock at the door. Skylar and I looked at each other, awkwardly pointing at one another and at the door as we tried to figure out who should go answer, before we decided she would as she was the better one at dealing with people. Greeting us was a petite girl, maybe only an inch or two shorter than me, with choppy brown hair and garnet eyes. She wore a weird cloth that was wrapped around her left arm, an insignia of a dark red rose drawn on it with kanji around it. "Disciplinary Committee" I think it said. I wasn't entirely sure, but seeing as it made sense I think I was right.

"G-Good morning!" She greeted nervously, hands laced in front of her as she gave a deep bow. "M-My name is Cross Yuuki; it's good to meet you! Welcome to Cross Academy. I'm here to lead you to your classes."

Yuuki... isn't she the Chairman's adoptive daughter? I remember him telling us about her. As she stood up again I took a good look at her, staring at her eyes for a while before deeming them friendly and sincere.

"O-Oh... Th-Thank you."

"We get a guide?" Skylar was the confident one with her language skills, while I stammered quietly and awkwardly. "Wait, what about breakfast?"

"Breakfast is at six o'clock. It's already nearly eight..." The girl looked genuinely apologetic. I was startled by how kind she seemed. "Um, lunch is in a few hours though, so you should be able to eat then!" She tried to cheer us up, not that it did much, and I already found myself dreading the time of when I was most likely going to be on the verge of throwing up and passing out in the middle of class from lack of sustenance. Wonderful.

Skylar appeared horrified at the prospect of not having breakfast, before I mumbled something in English about how we needed to hurry to class so we wouldn't be late. She just grumbled.

"Um... Upperclassman Rosemary, Upperclassman Tarrier, please follow me. I know you're both a grade above me, but... I thought I should be the first to welcome you. The Academy is really a wonderful place, I promise! You'll love it here."

So she says... It was nice to look at, sure, but it was huge and I doubted I'd be speaking much in their language anytime soon. I was amazed at how fluently Skylar was able to speak. I just nodded at Yuuki's words, not trusting myself to speak properly, and let Skylar do all the talking. We entered the classroom, but instead of just taking a random seat the teacher actually had us stand in front of the room and introduce ourselves.

Skylar's was simple. "My name is Rosemary Skylar; it's nice to meet you. I like food." Though I was hiding behind her, those in the higher seats could see me. I couldn't help but snort at the way she ended her sentence and I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth, embarrassed. _Great first impression; the rude American._ Unfortunately I was next and, stuttering out my introduction, I ended with a lame,

"I-I like art."

I stepped back quickly, reaching out and latching onto the sleeve of Skylar's uniform. I thought about Eliza, and wondered if she was doing alright by herself. I deflated, shoulders slumping, and held back a depressed sigh. I wondered if I'd get to see her anytime soon.

And, in awkward unison, Skylar and I gave our best bows and said, "Please take care of us."

I've never hated the world more in that moment until the teacher told us to just sit wherever-leaving us to try and find some empty seats. There were some in the very back, and I silently cursed the world for making that the only space. We were going to get called on so many times for sure.

...

"You came here from America?" The friendlier out of the blond males asked, excited. His green eyes were bright. Eliza had barely managed to escape her crazy roommate and get down to the common room, but in doing so she encountered one of the Aristocrat Vampires she saw when she first arrived. There was a boy curled up in his lap, well... not really _boy_ per say, as the teen appeared just as old as she was if not a year younger. Messy maroon hair and a yellow longsleeve with a V-neck, the male slept silently away on the blond man's lap as he took a casual sip of tea.

Eliza's nose twitched, catching a whiff of the scent, and raised an eyebrow at him when she realized there was some kind of flowery-scented jam inside the cup. Placing his cup down on its little plate holder he gently rested his free hand on the sleeping male's back. He didn't stir.

"What's it like there? I've heard so many stories; I'd love to know what it's really like! Is it true that you went to Human schools? Oh, it must've been wonderful~! I would have loved to be in a school with Humans." The girl stiffened from her spot by the staircase, eyeing him nervously. The Chairman said this was a school made to _help_ them live together, not for the Humans to be living cattle for the Night Class. This guy... he wasn't...?

She relaxed when she saw the sincere look in his eyes; Eliza could tell that he truly wanted to get along with Humans. "It's... good. I mean, it's the same as every other school. I had to get up early all the time, and I had to work in the sun a lot due to the job I had, but I had people I talked to. Friends. It was nice."

"And your friends..." He started curiously, looking up at her from his spot on the couch. "Were they Human?"

She nodded. "Yeah. Only one of them know I'm a Vampire though. The other is completely oblivious." The man's eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his skull, widening to the size of dinner plates.

"They knew and they accepted you?"

Eliza shrugged, but smiled. "Skylar did, yeah. I haven't told Irene though."

He blinked. "They're both girls?"

"Yup."

He looked down at the cup in his hold, turning it slightly and watching the reddish-brown liquid swish in the cup. The blond's expression was serious, borderlining solemn. It startled Eliza for a moment, so that by the time he was done speaking she wasn't sure how to respond. He said, "I'd like to have some Human friends. I'm probably the least Vampire "Vampire" here. I'd love to go outside and just bask in the warmth of the sun, and talk to them without fear of the secret being exposed. All of us are here at the request of the Dormhead, Kuran Kaname, a pureblood, but while that is so we all do enjoy being here. We wish for the Chairman's plan to succeed just as much as he does, but... it's difficult for some.

We have the tablets, but there are a few Vampires who have had the luxury of Human blood and therefore find it hard to take the tablets, resisting their natural instincts. You've probably heard of him, or maybe even met him already, but Aidou Hanabusa is one of those people. I wouldn't understand, as I've never had Human blood, but they say the blood tablets are disgusting. What do you think?"

Snapping herself out of her shock, she said, "I wouldn't know either." The man smiled at her answer, closing his eyes and taking another sip from his jam-infested tea. There was a groan, the redhead in his lap shifting a bit, before turning on his back and letting out a yawn-bearing his fangs to the world. The blond lifted his cup up so the redhead could move easier. He blinked, clearly not expecting him to wake from his slumber.

"Ah, Shiki. You're awake?"

"...You were talking loudly..." His voice was so soft that if it weren't for her enhanced hearing, Eliza wouldn't have heard him. "I'm hungry..."

"I've made some biscuits and put them on the table-"

Ignoring him, the redhead plucked the blond's hand off of the cup, leaving him to hold it with only one hand, and bit into his palm without hesitation.

"Shiki..." The blond let out a sigh. "I wasn't exactly planning on getting eaten today." He was calm, accepting of it, and didn't bother to push his... friend... away despite what sounded like a complaint. "I know you work during the day, but you really should find some time to get some proper sleep. An occasional nap isn't good for your health."

The man named Shiki just sat on the couch, shifting so he was sitting on one of his legs with the other dangling lazily off the couch, and continued to drink from him. The blond, whose name Eliza still didn't know, looked at her.

"Um, my apologies, but what is your name? I'm Ichijou Takuma; I don't believe we've properly met. This hungry child here is Shiki Senri; please forgive his manners." At those words Shiki paused, pulling his fangs out of Ichijou's hand and licking the excess blood off, not leaving even a single bit on his fingers, and dragged his tongue over the wound before it closed up due to Ichijo's fast healing.

Eyes dropped halfway closed, stone blue orbs greeted her apathetically with barely any hints of emotion on his face. He just reeked of laziness and fatigue. "Sorry..." He didn't sound very sorry, but Eliza felt it was the best she was going to get out of him.

"N-No, it's fine. I'm... I'm Ferret Eliza." She gave an small bow, "Please take care of me." Both of these men were Aristocrats-higher than her and deserving of respect. She may not have interacted much with other Vampires where she was from, but she was taught how to behave if she ever met one with such importance.

"Of course! It's so nice to meet you, Ferret-San."

"...Nice... to meet you..."

And with that said, Shiki just toppled onto his side and curled into a ball, covering his head with his arms as if to block out all noise. Eliza just raised an eyebrow at his actions, amused. 

...

I can't do this; I can't do this. I really, _really_ can't do this. Too many people, too many questions, I can't translate so fast! I-I can't-I can't-! I felt ready to burst into tears. Skylar was having a little trouble as well keeping up, but she was at least able to answer some. It was just a flurry of words to me, only able to make out snippets like "Are" and "I" and "you from". I knew they were asking about America, but what they were asking about I couldn't figure out.

I feel bad for any foreigner that has to or will have to deal with me when I speak in English, because I now know how it feels to be on the receiving end. I had just been drawing casually, Skylar peeking over to look at what it was I was sketching, when the last passing period had come and everyone had started bombarding us. Yuuki, the sweetheart, had left her class to come check on us. She tried pushing all the crazy students back to give us some breathing room, but they all just started snapping at her and saying hateful things-

Again, I only managed to get out a few bits, but I think the gist was that they were mad that Yuuki was popular or something with someone. Or someones. And that she was trying to get closer to other people. I'm not sure. I'm trying here, okay!?

It was only when the silver-haired teen accompanying her got elbowed accidentally by one the excited students that they left us alone, for he had given them the most _furious_ glare. He then gave us a hard look, narrowing his eyes at Skylar, before huffing..

Yuuki cast the male a grateful look, before letting out a sigh of relief. "They're even worse here than outside..."

The man, ignoring what she said, crossed his arms and grouched that he was going back to the classroom-but not before giving all the excited students one more glare to keep them away for good. We watched him leave, and once I had managed to calm down I looked at Yuuki in confusion after my brain processed her words.

"What..." I hesitated. Did I start that correctly? I reluctantly continued, nervous about my Japanese, and said, "What d-do you... mean?"

Yuuki just gave me a strained smile. "You'll understand soon enough. The last teacher is about to come in, so just follow the crowd after class. Okay?"

Still not trusting myself to speak too much I nodded, feeling uncomfortable about remaining so quiet. I loved talking, so being unable to talk was taking a toll on me. I think Skylar noticed, because more than once she mumbled something to me in English during class. Yuuki left the classroom not long before the bell rang.

The last period went by relatively smoothly, aside from the fact that each teacher called out for Skylar and I to introduce ourselves to them. We did what Yuuki said, following the crowd, but I was rummaging through my notebook and trying to show Skylar some of the more recent drawings that she hadn't seen when we heard some screaming. There was a big crowd, like she said, but I wasn't paying much attention.

It was also rather windy, and due to that fact I was a bit too paranoid with keeping a hold of my skirt and preventing it from flying up I was unable to stop _multiple of my drawings from flying out of my notebook and into the air_ towards the giant crowd full of people _._ Skylar, who had been munching on a burrito she grabbed during lunch-Kaien having put in some "american foods" as he called it in order to make us feel more comfortable- almost spat out the food she was chewing.

I didn't even waste a second-no, even less than that. The very moment I saw the pages go flying I clamped my notebook shut and _bolted_. I ran so fast and powerful I accidentally kicked one of my shoes off, not even caring if I was wearing a skirt. Besides, I had leggings on. They wouldn't see anything even if I did.

A random girl that was in the crowd cried out when the shoe hit against her head, multiple others letting out shrieks and squeals as Skyler frantically pushed them out of the way and yelled at them to shut up and move. There was a huge creaking sound-like a big pair of double doors opening slowly-and the screams just grew louder.

I could barely even hear them. I was just so focused on grabbing the drawings that were flying away from me. I managed to snatch two out of the air, tears burning my eyes in fear that they would be lost forever. My left ankle hurt from landing on it wrong and forcing so much pressure on it so quick after it had gotten hurt, but _I_ _needed to get them back_. The panic and fear was so great it was as if the world was ending all around me, cracking and breaking apart.

Most would probably think it stupid, say something about how could I just redraw them, but to me that was impossible. The emotion, the scenario, the gestures-every line and detail would be different. It was like trying to replicate a person; it's just not possible. They're a one-of-a-kind. You can only redo it, but with the thought that it was _meant_ to be different. I _had_ to get them back.

Through my blurred vision I saw Skylar holding some papers, having caught a few, and I had tripped and fallen more than once. I was choking up, screaming in English apologies to the people whom I had bumped into. I stood on my toes at I ran, a stupid decision and only hurting my ankles farther, but I was so _close-!_

Arms wrapping around my waist and lifting me up into the air made me let out a bloodcurdling scream when my feet were lifted off the ground. I was yelling in English, looking like a crazed foreigner as I kicked my legs and thrashed, hitting the silver-haired man from before as I tried to get him to let go as he had thrown me over his shoulder.

He snapped at me in his own language, but I was too flustered to care or even attempt to figure out what he was saying. I was just crying, screaming, begging him to let me go so I could get the papers. _I can't lose them, I can't lose them, I can't lose them-!_

Skylar was pulling on the back of the man's blazer, kicking him in the butt and trying to get him to release me before throwing her burrito at his head in anger. "Let her go already!" She shouted, speaking in English before realizing her mistake and repeating it in Japanese. She kept screaming it, tugging and pulling, and with another push I managed to lean far enough over his shoulder to grab a drawing that had floated nearby, the wind going all kinds of crazy today. With a grunt he released me, but only after Skylar gave another kick and he got distracted by Yuuki being knocked over by the crowd she was trying to hold back. After dropping me, he left to go help her.

I ended up falling sideways, screaming and holding the drawings and the notebook protectively against my chest as I landed roughly against the concrete ground. I wheezed, coughing and choking on my tears and voice as I struggled onto my knees. I hiccuped, Skylar kneeling down and handing me the drawings she had managed to get it. I took them and shakily put them back into the notebook, quickly and carefully flashing through them to make sure they were all there.

No... "No, no, no, no, no, no, _no, no, no, no, no!"_ I got increasingly louder with each "no" and and tried to stand again, but my legs gave out from the over-exertion and I hacked into my sleeve, coughing roughly. I briefly registered Skylar asking if I was okay, of which I choked out a horrified, "S-S'gone! It's gone!" It had been the one I worked the hardest on too-I spent over half the school day making sure it was perfect. I-I can't have-

I've never felt so defeated before in my life. I was passionate about my work, so much so I would probably risk my life protecting it, so this was a massive blow to my heart.

I tried to stop crying; I felt like an idiot and I knew everyone was probably ridiculing me, and if they had understood at all what I was saying they would probably talk even worse about me. _I-I hate this..._ Why am I so stupid? I-I need to... to... _Grow up. Just grow up._ Stand. I... I need to stand. It's... okay. It's okay. _It's not okay._ I was trembling so bad I had trouble standing up, and Skylar was about to help me when someone knelt down beside us and held out something that, in that moment, made me view them as a god or some sort of angel.

The man in the white uniform smiled warmly, leaving me frozen in place as I stared at the marvelous creature in front of me. _He has the drawing._ "This is yours?" Simple English. I choked again, fighting back the sob that was building itself up in my throat, and wondered if I was dreaming. This wasn't a trick, was it? It can't be. "Ah-may I?" He gestured to the notebook I was clinging onto for dear life. With nimble, gentle fingers he pried it away from me after I hesitantly nodded, still questioning what was happening at the moment. Careful to make sure none of the drawings flew away he flipped through them, green eyes widening every second as his smile broadened. "You're very talented." His English was pretty decent despite the thick accent, but I was used to hearing people speak that way so I understood him perfectly.

However, his compliment went right over my head as I mournfully stared at the drawings in the notebook. "Th-They're crumpled..." My shoulders shook as I hiccuped, sniffling painfully. Skylar rubbed my back comfortingly, giving me a sympathetic look. I swallowed thickly, hands trembling as I took the notebook back from him. I almost dropped it as I lacked the strength to keep holding it. "Th-Thank-Thank you..." I rubbed the edge of the notebook with my thumb, as if to reassure myself it was there and held all the drawings inside. "Thank you..." It was difficult, but I could feel myself ever-so-gradually start to calm down. Sniffling again, I looked up at him and choked out, "Y-You have a beautiful soul." I have no idea who you are, but _thank you so much._

He blinked, surprised by my comment, before chuckling. "Why thank you. Oh, can you stand? That was quite a fall you took there. You aren't hurt, are you?" I hesitated before deciding to shake my head, not willing to rely on a stranger or... _anyone_ , really, for help on that aspect. I was in too much of an emotional mess to even think about complaining about my physical pain.

Not responding to his question about whether or not I could stand, I just went ahead and attempted to do so anyway. I wobbled, swaying a little, and if it weren't _both_ him and Skylar catching me I would have hit the ground for about the tenth time today in the past five minutes. "S-Sorry!"

"Are you sure you're okay?" Skylar asked, speaking our normal tongue, and the stranger simply refused to release me.

"Do you need help walking? I can-"

I fell back into Skylar, the girl struggling to keep me standing by herself as the kind stranger was forcefully pushed away by the same silver-haired man from before. He gave him a cold glare, even more malefic than the one he gave the fangirls. He looked like he actually wanted to cause the blond some harm. "Just go back to your dorm, upperclassman Ichijou." He growled, lilac eyes flashing dangerously.

 _Upperclassman?_ Lightheaded and confused, I glanced up at the tall blond who I just learned was older than us. Skylar and I were seventeen, second-years here in Japan while we had been third-years, Juniors, in America, so... does that make him a third-year, a Senior? How does the grade system really even work here? I've just been going along with everything. I'm so lost...

The upperclassman didn't have a chance to respond, as the Disciplinary Committee man yanked on mine and Skylar's arms, jostling us and knocking my notebook out of my hands thanks to his odd super strength. When I tried to lunge forward and catch it he grabbed me by the back of my collar, causing me to let out a yelp, and Skylar let out a curse and yelled at him to stop dragging us.

I tried to pry the man's fingers off, but all the energy I had was gone. I had no strength left to fight, and the panic welling up in my chest merely caused more tears to form in my eyes and, as a last resort, I cried out to the blond stranger who had picked up my notebook after I dropped it. "T-Take care of them for me, p-please~!" I can't believe I was entrusting them to a stranger, but... I-I can't. I can barely hold my arms up like this my body was so exhausted. "A-And-And be gentle!"

I wasn't entirely sure if he understood, but the smallest wave of relief washed over me when I saw him give me a nod and tuck the notebook securely underneath his arm and against his side. Never before in my life have I trusted something so important to me with a stranger, but... at this point I felt I had little choice. His eyes were nice, too, without any malice in them, which later I realized was what had compelled me to do so in the first place. Regardless, in that moment of time, that stranger became my new favorite person in the whole world.

...

Eliza sighed and scratched her pencil against the paper, jotting down notes based off what the teacher was saying. She missed being back at her old school-there was so much screaming here. Apparently there was a huge commotion with some Humans, too, as it was all that everyone was talking about, but Eliza had been so far back in the group that by the time she exited the gates the two Humans that caused the mess were gone.

Hearing her new... friend hum something to himself she turned her head to look at him, raising an eyebrow at the blond. Seeing his gaze directed downwards she followed it, only to have her eyes widen when she saw what it was he was looking through. Her light blue eyes flitted across the paper, recognizing some of the drawings Ichijou was observing.

Feeling her gaze Ichijou stopped humming and turned, smiling at her. "Do you want to look at them with me? They're not mine, but I was entrusted to ensure the safety of the notebook and I couldn't help myself but look through when I saw the drawings. Aren't they amazing?" His emerald eyes lit up, quickly growing enthusiastic. "I don't know really know the person who drew these, but some actually look like they were drawn by the original artists! This person here is Rin Okumura, and you got Mephisto right here-they're from a rather popular manga called _Blue Exorcist._ And over here, all the way in the back, you have Sebastian Michealis from _Black Butler._ And over here..."

He went off into a rant-a rant she probably would have paid attention to if it weren't for the fact that her brain was registering that the Humans who had caused a commotion earlier as the entirety of the Night Class was heading to their classes was Irene and Skylar.

And what did he mean by "entrusted"? Irene would never trust someone she didn't know with her notebook; she almost never let that-no, _any_ of her notebooks out of her sight. Eliza recognized some of the titles Ichijou said, Irene having mentioned them to her, and tried to piece together what had happened that led up to her giving him to the notebook. Ichijou didn't seem like the kind of person to resort to thievery... So far, he was the friendliest Vampire she knew.

"What... happened exactly?" She asked slowly, staring at him inquisitively. Eliza normally doesn't butt into other people's business, but... she had to know.

He stopped rambling to pause, breathing in, and speaking at a much more normal pace. Calmly, he explained that after the gates had opened and he and the other Aristocrats walked out they were greeted with a strange sight-a short Human girl with glasses running in front of them, jumping in the air and trying to catch flying papers with another Human-just barely taller than her, with caramel skin and faded purple-dyed hair-trying to help. The first girl ended up being grabbed by Kiryuu Zero, the silver-haired prefect, before her friend helped her escape and Ichijou had caught a paper that had flown into his and Kaname's direction.

He had handed her back the notebook, but Kiryuu had forcefully dragged them away and made her drop it, so she told him to take care of it for her.

"It was brief, but while we standing there stunned the purple-haired girl threw a burrito at Kiryuu-Kun's head. Yuuki-Chan then got knocked over, so he went to help. Hmm..." Flipping through some blank pages, Ichijou kept going until he came across another stack of drawings, taking note that each stack was separated depending on the art style it was drawn in and, most likely, fandom. A fellow manga-lover... an interesting human, he mused. Of course, to him all humans were interesting. "I'm almost reluctant to return them..."

"Reluctant or not, you have to. They belong to Irene." The girl was probably still freaking out about it right now. Ichijou paused, recognizing that name from his earlier conversation with Eliza that morning, and looked at her with wide eyes.

"Your human friend?" Didn't she say that "Irene" was the one who didn't know about the Vampires? Then that other human... "Does that make the purple-haired girl Skyler?"

"What are you two talking about?" The second blond Eliza had seen grumbled, turning his head and sending them annoyed glares. "I'm trying to take notes." His icy blue eyes landed on them, before ending up on the notebook Ichijou was looking through. "Hey, wait a sec..." His nose twitched. "That reeks of human scent. You got that from the one human girl, didn't you?"

From the side, the light brunette sighed, her arms crossed as she leaned against the desk her ginger friend was sitting at. "Just leave the newbie and Ichijou-San alone, Hanabusa. It's none of your business. Unlike you, he's not one to cause trouble."

Ichijou looked at the girl in surprise before giving a bright smile, laughing. "You give me too much credit, Ruka-Chan. Given the chance I can be quite the troublemaker myself." Eliza eyed him strangely, raising an eyebrow at his words, before turning her attention back to the golden-haired boy below. "But to answer your question, yes. She was quite distressed, so I thought I should help her. She's quite talented-just like you, Aidou."

"I doubt that."

"Look!" Eliza was about to protest about him getting up and showing the snobby blonde her friend's drawings, but it was too late as Ichijou was already making his way over. "See?" Aidou spent a few seconds looking at it before turning his head away with a "Hmph".

"She's not that good. You give her too much credit."

Standing up, Eliza ignored all eyes that went her way. "Will you stop showing it around? I already told you that it doesn't belong to you!"

The orange pig-tailed girl spoke next, her electric blue eyes settling down on Eliza. Her face was like that of a doll's, round and pale, her eyes accentuated by her long and dark eyelashes. She was munching on some pocky when she spoke, her voice just as soft as Shiki's-who was sitting down not too far away from her. "Why do you care...?"

Shiki, eyes closed, spoke next. "Didn't you hear her, Rima? When she and Ichijou-San were talking... she said the notebook belonged to her friend."

"?" Rima blinked, gazing down at the male questioningly, before turning to look at Eliza. The teacher stopped talking, everyone directing their attention towards Eliza now-disbelieving and suspicious.

"Those human girls..." Shiki continued, opening his stone-colored eyes and looking at the Level C brunette. "They all transferred here together..."

Eliza was frozen, able to feel every single vampire's eyes on her. The most terrifying part of it though, was that the dorm head Kuran Kaname was gazing at her as well. The entire time he had appeared indifferent, never removing his gaze from the book he was reading, until Shiki spoke. And now those garnet red eyes bored into her. Maybe she was being paranoid, but it almost felt like she was being threatened. "So what if we're friends?" She managed to get out. "They're my best friends; I've known them for a couple years now. There's no problem with that, _is_ there?" Her question was directed more towards the dorm head than anyone else in this room. She knew she was going to get in trouble, that some of the other Vampires would even want to take off her head, but it wasn't like she committed some taboo.

The man named Aidou stood up out of his seat, startling Ichijou who leaned back to avoid getting hit. "Why you..! Threatening Lord Kaname like that-"

"Aidou." Kuran spoke, silencing the infuriated male. The blond froze, before looking up at the dorm leader in disbelief.

"But, Lord Kana-"

He silenced him with one look. Kuran returned his gaze back onto the defiant Eliza, who stared right back at him. "I have no problem with you maintaining close relations with those from the Day Class... however, you must recall your place. We are not here to cause trouble for Chairman Cross."

Did he think she was going to _drink_ from them!? Eliza has self-control! "If I was going to cause trouble, wouldn't I have done something to them already? Besides, one of them already knows the truth about me and I didn't even have to do anything."

Gasp and whispers filtered throughout the room, the students all muttering to one another and looking alarmed.

Ruka pushed herself off the desk and glared, demanding, "Do you know what you've done? We'll need Seirin-San to erase her memory-"

"Try that and she'll shoot you." Eliza retorted back. Ruka's eyes widened. The room went silent. "Skylar is not someone to be messed with, and if you try anything on her _or_ Irene... you'll be in for a nasty surprise."

The teacher sighed, seeing how the class was too hyped up to learn now, and closed his book. "Class is dismissed," He declared, before leaving the room and leaving the rest of the Night Class to their own devices. "Why do I bother...?"

"A-Ah, Riza-Chan," Ichijou began, calling her with friendly honorific as if they were already close, "I... don't think you should be saying such things so boldly." He carefully closed the notebook, keeping the papers tucked neatly inside, and neared her. He lowered his voice, "They'll take what you're saying as threats..."

"Then they shouldn't threaten my friends," She fired back. Eliza was _not_ going to let the people she cared about be messed with. She may not be as powerful as any of these aristocrats, but she _will_ fight them if need be. "I would never hurt them and I don't like people insinuating that I would."

She held Ichijou's gaze for a moment, worry clear in his eyes, before he lowered his head and sighed. "Very well... I won't doubt you. You seem like a good person, Riza-Chan."

Eliza said nothing in response, simply giving a hard stare towards everyone that was looking at her and glaring at the dorm head. Eliza has lived a long time, almost over half a century. She wasn't going to abandon those she came to care about-Human or otherwise.

"..." Kuran closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the window he was resting against. "What you do is your own decision. But there will always be consequences for each act. Think carefully about your moves... Ferret-San." 


	3. An Unsettling Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which they befriend a certain Yuuki Cross, Skylar gets called up to an Office, and Irene is interrogated by some irritable fangirls.

I'm afraid to say that the next day was just as bad as the day before, only accompanied with glares from almost all the female students. I wasn't entirely sure why, though Skylar mentioned that yesterday all the girls were gathered in the crowd and calling out to the people from the Night Class, asking for autographs and personal items. I hadn't noticed any of that, as I had been too busy freaking out, so when she said that I eyed her strangely and asked if she was hallucinating.

It was confirmed that she wasn't, because during our second passing period Yuuki came over to our classroom to apologize for the silver-haired man's behavior. I found out then that his name was Zero, and was actually the Chairman's adoptive son. "He's really nice, I promise, but... he just really doesn't like the Night Class. We're a school made to help the Night Class and the Day Class forge bonds and grow closer, but... it's really difficult to do so."

I grew confused at her words, trying to piece them together so they made sense. The school is supposed to help the two different classes get along, but Zero-the Chairman's _son_ -was against that and absolutely hated them?

...Why? Just... _why?_

"But they seemed nice..." At least, that blond guy did. Oh man, I hope my drawings are okay... I'm going to cry if something bad happened to them. His eyes looked trustworthy, and I've never been that bad a judge of character before, so I'm hoping I'm not wrong this time, but... I'm still scared. I debated asking her for the man's name, before I chickened out and ducked behind Skylar who looked at me curiously. "U-Um... do... do they do that everyday?" If so, then maybe I can get my notebook back... if he still has it... and Eliza! Oh, oh, will I get to see Eliza!? I brightened a little bit, sitting up straighter. I tried to ignore some of the more vehemous glares being sent my way.

"Yes! And you saw how rowdy some of them can get over their idols, so that's why we have the disciplinary committee! It's mine and Zero's job to keep the Night Class safe and the Day Class in check. So you can imagine why he was trying to pull you away like that yesterday. Please don't hold it against him." Yuuki seemed genuinely concerned about we thought about her brother. "Oh, speaking of-how are you feeling, Terrier-San? You fell quite a lot yesterday..."

"H-Huh?" Oh crap, she's expecting an answer. I stiffened, awkwardly stammering a tentative, "O-Oh, uh, y-yeah. I'm fine. Just a few scrapes, but I'm fine. I-I trip all the time, so," I shrugged, attempting to act nonchalant, "It's normal." I was literally the most the clumsiest person on the face of the earth. I get hurt in ways I don't even _know_ how it happens.

Still eying me with a hint of concern she nodded, not looking entirely like she believed me, but let it go. "Class is going to start soon, so I'll head back. I'll see you and Rosemary-San at lunch?" Her big eyes were hopeful, and I blinked and cast a quick look at Skylar who nodded before I looked back at Yuuki.

"Y-Yeah..." Sure, I guess. I have nothing against it.

"Of course!" Skylar smiled warmly at her. She must think Yuuki would be a good potential friend. I think she's right. Yuuki seemed really nice. "We'll see you then, Cross-San."

"O-Oh, you can call me by my first name if you wish." She stammered, scratching her cheek a little sheepishly. "I-I know that's how it is in America a-and I hope we can become good friends, so..." She looked a little scared, nervous of what our response would be. I stared at her with a blank face, observing her reaction before reaching out and petting the just-barely-shorter-than-me girl on the head. "E-Eh? Terrer-San?"

I grinned widely at her, smile spreading from ear-to-ear. In situations like this I found it difficult to express happiness or joy, so I just gave an awkward nodded and hum. "Of course!" Yuuki was adorable.

Skylar spoke up then, saying, "You can call us by our first names, too, Yuuki-Chan."

Oh, right, we still have to use the honorific. We aren't that close to her, so it would be rude if we didn't. "Th-Thank you Skyrer..." She knit her eyebrows together. "Skyrar... Sky-Chan." Having trouble pronouncing the name she settled on a shorter version of it, smiling happily up at us. "Irene-Chan. Oh! Can I call you "Ren-Chan"? It sounds so cute!"

Ren...? O-Okay... I guess. I've never been called that one before. "S-Sure."

The bell suddenly rang, causing Yuuki to let out a yelp and jump almost three feet in the air in alarm. "I'm late! I-I gotta go, sorry!" We watched as she took off at a lightning pace, the prefect horrified that she was going to be late. The glares lessened after she left, Yuuki having been angrily stared at herself, but they were still just as intense. Talk about hostile... and to think they were so overly friendly yesterday.

Classes were long and dreadful, seeming like they would never end, and there was quite a bit of what the teacher said that I didn't understand. Half of it went over my head, so when the next passing period came I asked Skylar about it. She gave me an explanation, some of _that_ flying over my head, but at least I had an idea as to what the teacher was talking about.

We headed over to lunch at about eleven thirty, and as Skylar ate I just sketched in another notebook I had grabbed from my suitcase. Seeing how I go through notebooks so much, I just grabbed multiple and stuffed them into the case. Yuuki was nowhere to be found-probably dragged off for some prefect duty. I had a sandwich, finishing rather quickly, while Skylar took her time in eating her pasta and muffins.

People were _still_ glaring. It was getting quite ridiculous. I wondered how long it was going to last. I was used to bullies, not a lot of people care much for a talkative, loud child, but at least they spoke up. These ones were quiet and it was highly unnerving.

I yawned, glancing at the clock and waiting for the bell to ring.

"Is it time yet?" Skylar questioned, talking quietly in English. I shook my head, reaching underneath my glasses and rubbing at my eyes. My brain hurts... what was this-some weird form of calculus? I was still in regular old algebra back in America. Now, if it was English or some other form of Language Arts I could probably do well, as those were my strongest suits, but _this_...? This was just a whole bunch of foreign gibberish. "God damn it..." She sighed and sunk down into her seat, closing her eyes. Skylar looked exhausted.

Leaning forward I propped my elbows up on my desk, dropping my pencil on my notebook as I struggled to understand what on earth was going on. Needless to say, I failed.

The next and final passing period was what made the confrontation take place. Skylar had gotten called up to the Headmaster's Office, leaving me alone, and as I went through my drawings and tearing off the excess paper on the side a bunch of the girls had crowded around the desk I was sitting at, hovering over me like a bunch of angry bulls.

...

Skylar had a feeling she knew what was going to happen as she was called up to the Office. It seemed troublesome, and in all honesty she just wanted to sleep. She still hadn't gotten over the jetlag from their flight and as a result Skylar was ready to drop down and pass out. She let out a loud yawn as she dragged her feet down the hallway, knocking on the doors leading to the Office.

She heard a cheerful voice cry out, "Come in!" and with sluggish movements she pushed the doors open, entering the room. Kaien Cross sat there behind his desk, fingers laced together in front of him underneath his chin, and he beamed at her. "Ah, welcome, Rosemary-San!" He didn't bother speaking in English, which made Skylar even more worn as it meant she would have to try and keep her Japanese straight in her exhausted state. "I trust you know why you're here?"

"Because you know about my family," She guessed. "I'm a Hunter in a school full of Vampires and Humans. That's not exactly the wisest decision."

"A Hunter that is _friends_ with a Human and Vampire; a Hunter from a family not working for the Association." His cheerful facade dropped, a much more serious look taking over his facial structures. This man's aura reeked of that of a Vampire, but part of him still felt like that of a Human. Of course, that just meant he had Hunter blood in him as well. "Something almost near impossible, unless the family had vanished off the face of the map and went rogue. Of course, the Association doesn't work in the United States, so it makes sense as to how you were unknown until now."

Skylar frowned. Where was he going with this conversation?

"As I'm sure you know the only people in the Day Class that are aware of the Night Class' true identity are my children, Yuuki-Chan and Kiryuu-Kun. I'm certain you're also aware of them being the Disciplinary Committee. But, while that is so, they are also this school's "guardians"-a force of two working to keep the Night Class' identity secret. I've been receiving some complaints from the Night Class about you; Ferret-San seemed to have leaked the info of your knowledge out. So that's why I've come up with a solution, just to ease their worries about you."

Was he about to suggest she...? No! Skylar wanted her nights of sleep. Yuuki had told them about what they do-Skylar didn't exactly want a part of it. What those Vampires do is their business-she could care less. As long as Eliza and Irene were safe, that was all that mattered.

"Now, it's a thankless job with sleepless days and hard nights, but I'm sure you'll do magnificently! Look; I even made you a bandana to tie around your arm!" Beaming like an excited child now the Chairman pulled out the same cloth Yuuki and Zero wore, expecting her to take it. "Isn't it wonderful?"

...

"Who?" I stared blankly, not understanding what they were talking about. They were speaking so fast-their voices were all overlapping each other. It was hard to make sense out of. "W-Wait, what?"

"Upperclassman Ichijou!" One of the girls snapped. "We saw what happened earlier!" Oh... okay. Wait, are they really getting mad over something as petty as that? Wow. I've barely spoken three sentences to that guy. I'm even amazed I remembered the name Zero had called him by considering everything that transpired. "Just because you're a transfer student... we don't know how things work where you're from, but it's different here! Don't go acting so buddy-buddy with him!"

"Crying and running out in front of the whole Night Class like that... what are you, an exhibitionist?" I might have translated that wrong in my head, but I'm pretty sure she called me something akin to an attention-seeker. I mean, I was, but not overly so. I liked talking to people and always got really upset when they ignored me. "You have no right!"

No right... interesting point of view. Now, what made _you_ think you had the right to treat the entirety of the Night Class like a bunch of objects that had "owners" when they are people themselves? If anything, you were the one had no right. Bored of this discussion, and their threats not deserving the honor of a response from me, I sighed and turned away. There was no point in getting angry-nor did I even feel anger at all. I just felt exasperated more than anything.

It's kind of sad that people get upset over things like this, I mean really-the guy talked to _me_ , not the other way around. And besides, even if I _did_ talk to him-which I am going to have to do in order to get my notebook back-it wouldn't be any of their business. I can talk to whomever I like-they have no control over me, my words, or my actions.

To think they feel so insecure to actually have to _threaten_ me over this... well, that just makes me want to give them hugs.

"Hey, are you listening to us!?" One girl slammed their hands on the desk, furious. In the background I could hear some of the male Day Class students muttering, talking about how the Day Class girls' crushes on the Night Class were ridiculous and made them hideously violent.

"I can hear you," Was my smart response, "I'm not listening though, so no."

I think she was about ready to slap me. In fact, her hand actually started to raise-but then the bell rang, so she never got the chance as the next teacher walked in. Ten minutes later Skylar reappeared, handing the teacher a note, and made her way up the stairs to reach the desk she sat at. She slid in, sitting down next to me, and said, "Well, guess what?" I blinked, taking note of the English, and asked in normal tongue,

"What?"

She held up the same badge Yuuki and Zero owned, the red rose design clear on the white fabric. "I'm a prefect now."

"Wait, what? How!?" My voice squeaked as it went higher up in pitch, but Skylar did not flinch. She was used to that happening. Instead, I just got a scowl from the teacher when his eyes landed on me. I cringed and sunk further down into my seat. "S-Sorry..." I apologize in their language, before switching back to mine and Skylar's, whispering now. "How'd you become a prefect on the second day?" I became grateful we were in the very back, as it made it harder to hear us. "That shouldn't be possible!"

Skylar just grinned, dark eyes mischievous and withholding information. "I dunno," She told me, "but I got special privileges now." I blinked, frowning in confusion as I tilted my head at her. "I have to patrol at night, which is lame, but I have easy access to the Moon Dorms so we can go visit Eliza whenever we want now. How about we go tomorrow morning?"

But... won't we get in trouble? I hesitated. Besides, _Skylar_ had the special privileges now-I didn't. I was still the same ordinary student. She can't just bring me along with her just because she feels like it; what if her scholarship gets annulled due to misconduct and abusing the power given to her? I don't want that to happen. On the other hand, I also want to see Eliza and see how she's holding up. Unfortunately, or maybe fortunately, my fear of getting in trouble won over and I stammered a, "Y-You can if you want, but... I-I'll just wait for her after the class. Maybe we can talk to her on the way to the classroom?" I wanted to see her and I wanted an easier way to do this that wasn't dangerous. Skylar's way would get us both in trouble.

"Irene, come on! We'll rarely get to see her. We didn't even see her yesterday-and that was because what's-his-face dragged us away. Oh! Speaking of, you still need to get your notebook, don't you?" Her eyes widened and she looked at me worriedly, as if expecting me to start crying again.

I awkwardly nodded.

"Okay, we'll do what you said, but I still think we should sneak into her room in the morning."

...

Eliza sneezed, wiggling her nose for a moment as she turned in her bed, yawning. The only good thing about being in the Night Class was that she could actually sleep during the day, so she'd be at full strength when she had to get up. She pulled the covers over her head, trying to block out the noise of her roommate cursing profanities at the weird doll she stabbing with needles.

She knew she should get up soon, as she would have to start getting ready for classes, but she was just so tired. Her sleeping schedule was so messed up now.

Sadly, a knock on their door signified that it was time to start getting ready and putting on the uniform, her roommate's friend entering the room.

...

More screaming. More pushing. I groaned, resisting the urge to snap at everyone to stop and behave. They were giving me a headache. Regardless, I tried to make my way through the crowd without shoving anyone, muttering "excuse me" and "Sorry" repeatedly. Skylar didn't seem to care, just pushing them without remorse, but didn't bother holding them back as her prefect duties didn't start until tomorrow.

Once I had neared the front I stood on my toes, jumping up and down a couple of times as I attempted to see the Night Class students as they all exited the gate. I had my new notebook held protectively against my chest, and as I looked at the students properly I found myself stunned, shocked by how beautiful they all were. It was almost inhumane, but the shock didn't last for long as it was then replaced by awe.

My fingers twitched, the urge to draw forming, and I couldn't help but admire the way the Night Class students were formed-as if they were perfectly crafted dolls fitted to an artist's design.

I then removed my gaze, instead searching the crowd for one specific person-my vision had been blurry at the time, but I recalled blond hair and warm green eyes. I ignored the screaming in the background, the Day Class greeting and cheering, with some of the Night Class actually responding. There was one blond who was quite ridiculous-he pointed at the girls and made some exceedingly cheesy comments, worse than the ones I made, and even made a finger gun and going "bang" and causing some of the girls to actually faint.

The redhead next to him looked exasperated, shaking his head at the flirtatious blonde next to him. The brunette woman next to him just tuned out the entire world, arms crossed as she walked with the grace of that like a queen. Farther back you could see a tall man with dark brown hair and eyes similar to Yuuki's, a calm and almost sad look on his face. Beside him was-!

"You!" I accidentally called that out loudly, gaze fixated on the tall blond. He was waving at the Day Class, bidding them "good morning" despite it actually being afternoon, and his eyes were scanning the crowd for some reason. I retracted my hand, having pointed at him, and clamped it over my mouth in alarm after I cried out. _That was too loud!_ Did he hear it?

I bit my lip, holding my newer notebook tighter, and debated whether or not to call out again. Would it be considered rude if I just ran up and grabbed his arm? Maybe. I don't know what I should do... _Should I go up or call out again?_ Calling out would be pointless, due to everyone screaming. He wouldn't hear me.

And, considering Yuuki and Zero trying so hard to hold everyone back, am I even allowed to approach? B-But I... I need my notebook back...

"What are you waiting for?" Skylar asked, snapping me out of it as she pushed me forward, "Go get your notebook!" I yelped loudly, stumbling forward as Skylar than proceeded to stop the girls from moving forward and running me over.

"Ah, there you are!" A cheerful voice exclaimed. I was still hopping on one foot, trying to stop myself from toppling onto the ground. Pain flared in my left ankle and I waved my right arm frantically, before falling down and kneeling partially as both my feet hit the ground. Wincing I stood, shaking my head as I looked around in confusion before raising my head up when the sun was suddenly blocked by the six-foot tall person in front of me. "A-Are you alright...?" A hand gripped my shoulder, keeping me steady and preventing me from falling over as the semi-stranger helped me stand up.

I could practically _feel_ the flaming daggers digging into my spine and the back of my skull. If looks could kill, I'd probably be dead a hundred times over from the sheer amount of people who were glaring at me. "H-Huh?" W-Wait, hold on!

I stared up at the man in front of me, him coming over to me being the last thing I was expecting. The hand on my shoulder was very real though, as I could even feel the warmth from his flesh sinking through my blazer.

"O-Oh, uh, y-yeah..." It took a moment for me to realize he had asked me a question. "I-I'm-I'm fine.."

Warm emerald eyes widened, a pleased smile spreading across his lovely face. He looked a mixture of excited and relieved. "You _do_ speak Japanese! That's a relief." He laughed, his expression turning into that of a sheepish one. "I'm afraid my English isn't very good; I've only had a couple lessons." A couple lessons? I guess I'm just used to hearing thick accents then. "Um, how are you feeling?" He pulled his hand away, much to my relief, and I relaxed. Not because he was threatening or anything-it was quite the opposite, actually-but because I was uncomfortable at the contact.

"Huh? O-Oh, I'm-I'm-I'm okay." I knit my eyebrows together, trying to figure out how to react or respond to this situation. Why was this guy so concerned? "Um," I scratched my neck, still holding my notebook to my chest. "I-I..." What do I say now? Wait, what was I going to talk to him about again? Oh! "I-I'm sorry about yesterday. And... And about the crying. A-And the shoving my notebook onto you." I flinched at that, recalling that dreadful memory. God, that was humiliating...

He blinked, before closing his eyes as a light chuckle escaped him. "It's quite alright; there's no need to apologize, Irene-Chan. With how much care was put into these creations, even I would have been a mess. Here." As if I were afraid of the notebook disappearing through my fingertips I hesitantly reached out to grab it when he pulled it out from against his side and held it out to me. "I really meant what I said before; you are very talented." I barely looked up in time to catch sight of the blinding smile he gave.

 _Is he even real?_ I had the strongest urge to draw him-he'd be the perfect model. My face tingled slightly, and it was then I noticed I had been biting the corners of the my mouth to hide a smile of my own. Oh jeez. Okay. Um. Yeah. I blinked multiple times and looked to the side before meeting his gaze again, certain my face was red due to the awkwardness and the embarrassment I was feeling. "O-Oh, um. Th-Thank you."

He laughed. "You really have a way with words don't you? Oh! Is that a new one?" Before I could ask what he was talking about he tilted his head and leaned to the side, eyes resting on the newer notebook. "I know it'll probably be troublesome for you, but is it alright if I look through that one as well? I read manga, so I find your drawings quite interesting. You capture the characters wonderfully." He must have recognized some of them.

Now don't get me wrong- normally I take pride being complimented, but for some reason I just kept getting more and more embarrassed. I wanted to hide in a corner and burrow underneath blankets beside my favorite trashcan. Against my better judgment I ended up handing the newer notebook over to him, but seeing the gentle way he grabbed the notebook made me calm down. He carefully flipped through the pages, his smile kind. It was one of those smiles, too-the one that matched the eyes and made it genuine.

I found myself entranced, just watching him for a moment, before I snapped myself out of it and tried to explain, "Th-They're aren't that many," Maybe only four or five, "but I'm always drawing, s-so I-I should have some more later..." Why am I still talking? _Why am I telling him this!?_ Stupid brain. There's nothing wrong in saying "no" to people and letting them down. _I don't want to disappoint him._ Weird.

He looked so excited I could almost see the sparkles floating around him. "May I look through those as well? I promise to return them all."

Say "no", say "no", say "no", say "no"-

Tucking the notebook underneath his arm after closing it he clapped his hands in front of his face, smiling with one closed eye. "Please~?"

I gave up, finding it difficult to decline when he used such a face. "F-Fine..." He lit up like a firework, beaming brightly like a child who had just been given a candy. He just looked so gosh darn happy.

"Thank you~. Oh, right, Irene-Chan; I almost forgot. Do you have happen to know a girl by the name Ferret Riza?"

Riza...? Like Hawkeye? No, wait, that wouldn't make sense. He said "Ferret" and that's Eliza's last- _Oh! Duh!_ "You know Eliza?" He looked surprised at the lack of honorific before he smiled once more. This man was nothing _but_ smiles, was he? Hm. I'm okay with that.

"I've spoken to her a few times. She told me a bit about you and your friend. I think that's Riza-Chan walking this way, actually." Suddenly he stood on his toes-which was unnecessary due to his already towering height, and waved frantically in her direction. "Riza-Chan! Riza-Chan, over here! Irene-Chan wants to talk to you!"

If it weren't for the fact that I did the same thing all the time, Eliza probably would have been embarrassed. Skylar was currently holding Zero back (somehow) from charging over here and throwing me into the angry horde of fangirls, and Yuuki let out a yelp as she was sent stumbling back. "N-No! You can't approach! Guh! Z-Zero!"

Unfortunately, the fangirls were too furious with me interacting with the Night Class to even be phased by Zero's normally scary glare. Poor guy had his work cut out for him. I actually felt a bit bad for standing and talking here for so long, especially when I remembered that they had classes they needed to get to. But I don't think I'll get another chance to talk to Eliza, and Ichijou was really nice and called her over here... would it be mean to _not_ take this opportunity to talk to her?

I wasted no time in tackling Eliza when she was close enough, squealing and calling her "My darling~!".

So... many... _glares!_ Even Zero's dirty looks were directed this way now. Skylar elbowed him, trying to push him into the crowd of angry females. Surprisingly they were almost equal in terms of strength.

Hugging Eliza tightly I whined, "It's been so long without your lovely presence! I thought I was going to die without you!" I slipped into English without realizing midway through my sentence.

"You saw me two days ago," Was her response as she fought a laugh.

"Two days too long!" I retorted, pulling away but keeping my arms rested on her shoulders. "How's the Night Class? Has..." Wait, what his name? I turned my head and looked at the politely smiling blond, trying to recall what his name was. "Ichi... Ichigo?"

He blinked, stunned. His eyes flashed with the realization that he's never given me a name. "Oh, my apologies! I'm Ichijou Takuma; I'm a third year." Ah. So he _is_ my upperclassman. Okay.

"I-Irene..." No, wait. I knit my eyebrows together. "Taylor Irene. It's nice to meet you!" Out of reflex I pulled an arm away from Eliza, instead holding a hand out to the blond who stared at it in confusion. "..." There was a long moment of silence and I pulled away, shifting awkwardly. "S-Sorry." Right. Different country, different customs. Forgot. "Um, a-anyway! Has Upperclassman Ichijou been treating you well?" He seems nice. I looked back at him, "People've been nice, right?" If not then I swear to god Skylar and I are going to have to bash some skulls. Well, Skylar will be. I'll be watching in the background coming up with the master plan.

"Uh, yes...?" He seemed unsure how to answer that. "She doesn't talk to a lot of people..."

"I talk to you," Was her response to him. Eliza then looked up at the sky, frowning when she saw the sunset. "We need to go, Upperclassman Ichijou. We'll be late."

"Ah! Yes, of course. My apologies." I released Eliza completely at his words, deflating when they both talked about leaving. Of course, I knew it had to happen, but... "I'll talk to you tomorrow, Irene-Chan." He smiled, nodding as he turned to leave. I watched sadly as Eliza turned to leave as well, telling me she would see me later.

"Okay... Bye-bye!" I waved, "Have a nice night! Have fun!"

"I will! You too." Eliza called back, lifting a hand up in the air in a lazy wave. Ichijou turned around completely, walking backwards, and gave a wild wave.

"Thank you! We will!"

He's like an overly tall child. Haha. I grinned, amused by his antics, and waved back just as crazily until a hand suddenly picked me up by the scruff of my uniform. I blinked, not even given time to panic about my feet being off the ground before I was sent flying into the crowd of fangirls who were mourning the lack of the Night Class as the last two, Ichijou and Eliza, walked away.

"Stay in the goddamn line, you foreigner! And _you_ -if you even _think_ about crossing that line I'll destroy every hope or dream you have about your precious _Idol_." They didn't need to be told twice. Terrified of Zero, the girls all backed up-stepping on me in the process- and looked at him fearfully. Yuuki, who had also been ran over, pushed herself up with a huff. Her hair was a mess, sticking up in every direction, and her uniform was slightly wrinkled. She was coated in dirt and mud.

Yuuki fumbled to stand up straight, but once she managed it she gave Zero a thumbs up. "Nice work, Zero!"

As I pushed myself up I winced, looking at the scrape on the palm of my hand. There was just the slightest bits of blood. Having not gotten far, Eliza stopped and Ichijou turned his head in our direction. I didn't notice. Instead, I sat up so I was sitting on my legs and watched in surprise as Skylar antagonized Zero, the male grunting when she planted her first into his lower back.

Irritable, he looked over his shoulder and glared down at the dark-skinned brunette who had hit him. " _What?"_

"I'd appreciate it if you didn't manhandle my friend like that!"

Suddenly Eliza was behind her, faster than one could blink, and gave Zero a cold stare. Though he was glaring his nose twitched, and the silver-haired male stiffened. Eliza's eyes flickered over to my direction, the girl stepping forward as I felt someone pulling me up onto my feet.

I don't think I've ever seen my friends so _angry_. "You should hurry back to your dorm," Ichijou commented softly, holding my wrist in his hand. Startled by the closeness I quickly pulled away, having not even noticed him arrive. Zero, who had seen Eliza move in my direction, reached out and grabbed her arm tightly. His lilac eyes were glaring at her with so much pure _hatred_ you would have thought she was going to burst into flames.

What did Eliza do? She's barely even been here for three days! Why does he look like he wants to kill her?

"Don't even _think_ about it, you monster." He growled, voice deepening. He pushed her back. "Hurry up and go to your class. The other Day Class students have already left for their dorms." Limping my way over and wrapping an arm around a glaring Skylar's shoulder, keeping my notebook tucked against my side, I looked around in surprise when I saw he was right. Everyone _was_ gone. Weird. When did that happen?

" _Don't_ tell me what to do," She hissed. My eyebrows raised up, startled. I've seen her crying and ranting when she was mad, but _this_ made her look like she was ready to tear his throat open.

I blinked, briefly wondering if I was more tired than I thought when I saw the colors of her eyes flash red. I felt a hand on my back, Ichijou trying to guide Skylar and I in the direction of the dorms, but while I almost fell over Skylar barely even budged.

Yuuki was the one who broke the fight apart, placing a hand on Zero's arm and getting him to release Eliza. The blue-eyed brunette cast us an apologetic look, before nodding and making her way down the path that led to the school. Casting us another apologetic look Ichijou followed, seeming reluctant to leave us alone with the furious prefect. Zero then turned, fixating his glare on me, and I stiffened. Skylar placed a hand on my arm, glaring up at Zero while I remained still and wide-eyed in my fear.

"Stay _away_ from the Night Class, do you hear me, Terrier?" He was so furious... what did I do wrong? "You don't want to get involved with them. _Now go!_ " He pointed in the direction of the Day Class Dorms and I tried to walk away, attempting to drag Skylar in that direction with me, but she remained rooted in the spot.

"You're a jerk, you know that?" She told him, asking with a deep frown. "Yuuki claimed you were nice, but I really just don't see it." Yuuki grinned sheepishly when Zero looked at her.

"I don't care what she told you," He growled, "Now go to the dorms."   
  


_Why is everyone getting so angry today!?_ It was hostility at every corner-holy crap. I tugged more insistently on Skylar's sleeve, on the verge of panicking, and this time she listened. "I'm gonna kill him," She muttered under her breath. I looked at her in alarm.

"You can't do that! No killing people, Skylar. That's not good. You'll get in trouble for that."

"Then at least let me tear off one of his limbs."

" _No!"_ My voice squeaked loudly in horror, though while part of me knew she was joking another bit felt like she was completely serious. She mumbled something and I blinked. "What about Vampires?" What did they have to do with anything? This wasn't _Shiki_ nor were we discussing _Hellsing_. I don't even think she's seen those. God, _Shiki_ was disturbing.

Skylar tensed at my words, only to sigh. "It's nothing... just forget about it."

Oookay... everybody is just cranky today. Well, except for that one guy. He appeared to be in a pretty good mood. I'm glad that at least one person is.

...

Who was _he_ calling _her_ a monster when they're both of the same kind? He was a total hypocrite, not to mention extremely rude. You don't just pick up a person and then THROW them like they're some kind of a potato sack! "I'm going to tear that prefect in two..."

"Eh?" Ichijou blinked, startled at the sudden cruel words coming out of the smaller girl's mouth. Realization lit his face and he said, "Oh! You're talking about Kiryuu-Kun, right? You shouldn't let him get to you. He's not a bad person in my personal belief, though he can be a bit rough... as you saw earlier today. But..." He trailed off, looking thoughtful. "Well, I suppose one can't really blame him for being so hating towards Vampires; it makes sense, given what he's been through."

Eliza looked up at him when he said that, but Ichijou gave no indication that he was going to explain. Instead he jotted down a few notes, then flipped a page of a book he was reading. He was humming again as he read. She observed him for a few seconds before looking around the note. So many Vampires... so few Aristocrats... so many more common Vampires like herself... and just one Pureblood.

Heaving a sigh she brought a hand up to her neck, rubbing it as her throat itched, feeling a bit parched. She was hungry. It's been a long time since she last felt so angry... it really took a lot out of her. This school is just one fight after the other, isn't it? And it's only her second day. Well, night she supposed. Eliza was seriously beginning to regret coming here. She hoped things would start to get better. It's just been stressful so far.  


	4. A Problematic Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Skylar and Irene break into the Moon Dorms, and a fangirl gets particularly violent.

"Why are we doing this?" I questioned, clinging to Skylar's sleeve as we neared the building. This was absolutely ridiculous; if we got caught we were going to get into some serious trouble! My parents will kill me if I get expelled. "We're not supposed to be here!" I whispered furiously, on the verge of panicking. I stiffened, getting more and more terrified by the second as we neared the gate keeper.

Without even hesitating Skylar showed the hooded figure the prefect badge she was wearing, and after narrowing his eyes at us he grunted and allowed us to walk on by. How Skylar remained so calm and confident in a situation like this I didn't know, but I felt slightly envious in that moment.

"We don't even know her room number!" I continued, wondering why we were taking such a risk just to see our friend. We can talk to her after classes, can't we? "How are we supposed to find her?"

Skylar just grinned. "You need to trust me, Irene. I'm good at finding people."

I gave her a sour look, not believing her at all. "I swear to god, Skylar, we are _not_ pounding on every single freaking door the building holds until we find Eliza's room!" She pouted, only to laugh.

"Fine~ Ruin all my fun, why don't you?"

I'm sorry, but I _don't_ want us to get yelled at! "Let's just go back-" We were in front of the doors now, and before I could even finish my sentence Skylar had pushed them open. She waltzed in, acting like she owned the place, while I let go of her sleeve and stood there uncomfortably in the doorway as some of the Night Class students stared at us in surprise.

_Oh god..._

"So," Skylar greeted, all the students stiffening when they saw her. Some looked fearful, others looked angry. "Do you all know where Eliza's dormroom is?"

_We're so screwed._

...

Eliza had dealt with many things in the past. Varying from annoying teenagers who thought they were better than anyone all the way down to having to get up bright and early in the morning despite her heritage, but what she has never dealt with before was Skylar banging on her door and yelling at her to wake up and let "them" in.

Her roommate turned over in her bed, sitting up and staring at the door before turning her head and giving Eliza a less than delightful look, her amber eyes flashing a dangerous red. With a groan Eliza kicked off her blankets and pulled herself out of the bed, rubbing at her tired eyes as she made her way over to the door in order to open it.

Skylar she had expected, and while she could smell her she still was surprised at the sight of Irene clinging to Skylar and hiding her face in the back of her shoulder. She must not have wanted to come here. That would make sense, seeing how paranoid she is about getting into trouble. She must be terrified.

Eliza was about to invite them in, but recalling those creepy voodoo dolls her roommate had been stabbing yesterday morning she decided not to and instead walked out, closing the door behind her. She yawned, scratching her head before crossing her arms. "We can talk in the lobby," She said, not really wanting to be cursed with some freaky black magic. As they walked, Eliza couldn't help but bring up the fact that they weren't supposed to be here.

"I'm a prefect now," Was Skylar's reasoning. "Of course I'm allowed to be here." Eliza raised an eyebrow, walking down the stairs, before letting out a loud yawn.

"Whatever you say."

Irene still hadn't spoken-something that was extremely unusual for her. If there was one thing she knew and loved to do, it was talk people's ears off. If Eliza didn't know better she would have thought it a talent. As Eliza plopped down on the couch she patted the spot next to her, gesturing for them to sit down. Skylar did so without hesitating, but Irene remained standing there awkwardly and hugging herself.

Eliza's eyes darted around the room for a moment, taking note of how some of the other Vampires were eying her Human friend like a piece of meat. She felt a twinge of gratitude for Skylar being here, as if she weren't then they probably would have already tried to approach her and drink her blood. With Irene's hair being as short as it was it was almost a tease, as if daring all Vampires to try and bite her. Now, if she knew they existed, Eliza wondered if Irene would still have her hair so short.

"So," Eliza decided to start, "how's life?" She was too tired to think of a decent conversation topic. Irene gave an awkward shrug while Skylar went into a detailed review of the crazy fangirls in her and Irene's class. "Seriously?" Eliza asked, once she had finished. Her gaze landed on Irene. "You spoke to Ichijou-San _once_ and then they've been acting up since?"

Irene shrugged again, not speaking, but her eyes told her that there was more to the story. Eliza frowned. She opened her mouth to ask what was wrong, but before she could a familiar voice spoke up in surprise, the devil himself walking down the stairs into the lobby.

"Irene-Chan? Rosemary-San? What are you two doing here?" Ichijou looked very surprised at the sight of the two girls. Irene stiffened, eyes widening, and looked like she wanted to be anywhere but there at that moment. Skylar just beamed and showed off the badge on her arm. "Eh? You're a guardian now?" Despite his words, he didn't look too terribly surprised.

Irene blinked, knitting her eyebrows together as she tilted her head. Eliza realized she wouldn't know why the prefects had that as a title, seeing as how she didn't even know Vampires existed. Suddenly Irene exclaimed, clapping her hands together as she came out of her shell, "Oh! You mean because they have to keep the fangirls from mauling you guys?"

Ichijou looked at her, startled, before chuckling. "Something like that, yes. It's a job more difficult than it sounds."

"...And you agreed to it?" Irene asked Skylar in disbelief. The brunette shrugged.

"It's not like I had a choice. It was be a prefect or go back home."

Irene's eyes went so wide it was almost comical. "W-Wait, they forced you? Is that even allowed?"

"I dunno, really. But hey-we can see Eliza whenever we want now. Isn't that good?"

Eliza tried not to groan at the thought of being woken so forcefully every morning. "Can't you just come by on the weekends? My classes are at _night_." She really wanted to catch up on her sleep; she was exhausted. She was grateful that they wanted to spend time with her, but right now Eliza just wanted to curl underneath some warm blankets and nap the day away. "I love you guys and all, but I need _sleep_."

Irene knelt down in front of her and hugged her legs, letting out a dramatic wail. "It's as if the world wishes for us to be apart, my love! If only we were in the same classes together! Why must the Headmaster refuse to put you into the Day Class with me and my honey!?" Her "honey" being Skylar. "Or even us into the Night Class! Then we could pester you all the time!"

Eliza reached down and pat her lightly on the head. "I'm sorry, but I really can't transfer dorms. It's simply impossible, not to mention unheard of."

Skylar nodded in agreement. "It's sucks, but that's how it has to be. But we can still come here to see you though, so that's the problem solved." Pulling away with a pout, Irene let out a complaint.

"Lame~!" Skylar laughed. Eliza shook her head in amusement. "Ah, crap, wait, what time is it?" Irene stood up, stumbling a little, and looked around the room. Her gaze flickered nervously at the people in the lobby with them and tensed slightly when Ichijou walked passed her, the blond making his way to the couch on the opposite side of the one Eliza and Skylar were sitting in. He sat down, opening the book he was carrying and resting it on his lap once he had crossed his legs.

"Time for you to get a watch," Was Skylar's response, the girl snickering before just full-out laughing. Irene made a face.

"Haha. Funny. Seriously though, what time is it? We're gonna be late to class!"

Skylar kept laughing, only to come an abrupt stop. She shot up off the couch, "We're gonna miss breakfast! See you, Eliza!"

"See you."

Irene yelped when Skylar grabbed her arm, dragging her along backwards. Irene waved her free hand at Eliza, and then at Ichijou, as she struggled to keep up and not fall down. "B-Bye-Bye! Bye Eliza, bye Upperclassman Ichij- _whoa!_ " She cried out loudly when Skylar gave another tug, pulling her out the doors and slamming them shut behind them. There was silence in the room, before the blond looked away from the spot where they left and at Eliza.

He chuckled. "They're certainly a lively bunch, aren't they? You three must be very close."

"That's one way to put it," She responded, before plopping down on the couch and curling up into a ball. She yawned. "I'm so tired..."

A whisper woke up her right up. Blue eyes tinging with red Eliza opened her eyes, narrowing them at the man who spoke. Ichijou lowered his head, an unusually serious look forming on his face. "That girl was a hunter, wasn't she?"

"If she wasn't there..." The female brought a hand up to her throat, rubbing it gently. "Agh, living on tablets is tough. That girl with her looked like such an easy target, too."

"But her friend would've shot us. Is that why that new girl said that before?"

They were speaking quietly, but Eliza was still close enough for her hearing to pick up their voices. She sat up slowly, gazing coldly in their direction. She opened her mouth to speak, but it was not her voice she heard.

"This is a class to form peace with the Humans," Ichijou said softly, his voice low. The two students froze, looking very scared for their lives at that moment. Ichijou closed his book, setting it down gently on the table and standing. "As Vice Dorm President I am qualified to give warnings, but if I catch you two threatening to break the rules again..." He turned around, his bangs falling and covering his right eye completely. Somehow that small movement simply added to the atmosphere, making him appear far more intimidating than he actually was. "I will have no choice but to report you to Kaname."

"N-No! It-It won't happen again. Please, don't let Lord Kaname find out about this!"

"We'll behave! Promise!"

Ichijou closed his eyes. "Then leave."

They weren't going to be told twice. The two commoners raced out of the room as fast as their powers would allow, refusing to remain in the lobby with one of the highest Aristocrats in the Vampire race. Eliza was almost compelled to leave as well, the force of his order so strong that it reached her blood.

She felt cold when she realized that, once again coming to terms with just how dangerous it really was here in Cross Academy.

Ichijou let out a sigh, before whirling around and giving Eliza a beaming smile. It appeared apologetic, but it made Elizabeth wonder just how much of it was fake and how many of his smiles were actually genuine. He was friendly, but he was also a highly dangerous character. "I'm terribly sorry about that, Riza-Chan. I'll keep an eye on the rest of the Night Class to make sure they don't harm your precious friends. As the Vice Dorm President it's the least I can do."

"Th... Thank you..." Why was she so scared? Eliza had a bad feeling that if he, or any other aristocrat for that matter, gave her an order a part of her would feel compelled to complete it.

The doors opened, catching their attention, and in walked the two Aristocrats Eliza had heard speaking only a few times. Shiki and... Rima. Also known at Underclassman Shiki and Touya. They walked side-by-side, close and sharing an umbrella that Rima soon closed as they walked in. They were wearing brown trench coats. Ichijou brightened at the sight of them, walking forward and pulling them into a hug. "Shiki! Rima! It's so good to see you! How was work?"

Shiki just yawned and leaned forward, resting his forehead against his taller friend's shoulder. "Tiring... "

Touya's eyes flickered over to him, before looking up at Ichijou. "The boss was getting fussy again... and the interviewer kept asking personal questions. It was annoying. But the photographs were fun."

"That's good." He gave them a warm smile. "I'm glad. Oh, do you want something to eat or drink? I can make some tea-"

Shiki shook his head, eyelids drooping. His eyes travelled the room, stopping on Eliza. "...On our way here, we encountered the two foreigners..."

Touya spoke next. "The hunter had a prefect badge. Do you know anything about that?"

...

To say the glares had increased was an understatement. Girls were sending us daggers all the way down the hall to our classes, even going so far to try and trip us. Needless to say Skylar managed to avoid them, but being as clumsy as I was I fell over each and every one. They all looked super confused when I apologized for tripping over their feet, which I didn't understand, but I decided not to think about it and instead continued on my way.

Yuuki came over and spoke to us again, a girl with light orange hair beside her. She was soft spoken, but blunt. "I'm really sorry about yesterday! I know I already told you this before, but Zero _really_ doesn't like the Night Class. It's also our job to keep Day Class away from the Night Class, but I understand that Upperclassman Ferret is your friend from America. The Chairman actually gave us orders to let you two approach the Night Class whenever you want... but Zero doesn't like it, so that's why he acted out yesterday. Please don't hold it against him!" She laced her hands in front of her skirt and leaned down, bowing pleadingly. "I'm sure if you just tried, you could become good friends!"

Skylar snorted. "Tell him to stop harassing my friend and I might." Yuuki stood up, looking a bit pained at those words. The ginger girl beside her, Sayori she claimed her name was, spoke up.

"Kiryuu-Kun is brash... and rude. But if you get into his good graces he's not a bad person."

She looked at Yuuki as she said that, but the brunette was oblivious to the stare. "Oh, um, Upperclassman Terrier, I have a question." I blinked, pausing when I realized she was talking to me. My name was pronounced "Taylor" instead of "Terrier", so I was confused for a moment. "What's your relationship with Upperclassman Ichijou?" Huh? "Oh! Um, I don't mind! I'm just curious. You talked to him the other day, and yesterday too, so... I was wondering if you two already knew each other."

"O-Oh." Um, awkward. "N-No, I just-I met him on our first day."

Yuuki laughed sheepishly, "Okay. Sorry for asking something so serious... um, well, Yori-Chan and I have got to go to our class or we'll be late, so have fun, Upperclassman Terrier, Upperclassman Rosemary! And no staying outside the dorms pass dark! It's dangerous at night."

I stared blankly as she ran off, Yori walking calmly after her, and Skylar just yawned and scratched at her head. "Okay... Hey, do you think the cafeteria is still open?" I made a face at her, giving her a look. "What?" I felt sick from not eating, but even I know that we're a bit too late to get breakfast.

"No- now _come on_!"

"But I'm so hungry!"

"So am I! But we're late now! You're the one who wanted to break down Eliza's door! Now come on." Skylar whined as I grabbed her by the arm, marching in the direction I believed our class to be.

"...We just passed the classroom, you know."

"Fight me, Skylar!"

"Bite you?"

"No! _Fight_ me! F-I-G-H-T- _fight!_ How on earth did that sound like "bite"?"

"Eh."

"Agh-I'mma smack you!"

"Haha! Sure you would."

"Shut up and enter the classroom already."

"Okay."

I gave her a push and she walked in. Class felt like forever-Yuuki didn't visit this time-and we didn't see her in the cafeteria. We were supposed to eat together, like we had promised to do the other day, but I guess her prefect duties got in the way again. Some Day Class students must be trying to sneak out and maul the Night Class or something. I certainly wouldn't be surprised if they did- _Will they stop glaring!?_ I found it difficult eating my sandwich due to their demonic looks.

Nobody approached, yet that only served to unnerve me more.

The last few class periods ended after what felt like forever, and as we made our way through the building, following the crowd, I went through all the drawings in my notebook that I needed to give to Ichijou to look at. Skylar went up on ahead, having to do her part of holding all the fangirls back since she was now a prefect. _That's Gintoki... Sesshomaru and Rin... Oh, Jakob and Dwyer. Um..._ Who else did I draw today? Oh right. The Undertaker. Where did I put that one?

"Hey." I heard a voice, but I ignored it. I didn't stop walking until someone _brutally_ snatched my notebook out of my hands, knocking it to the side and throwing it and all the drawings on the ground. I went still. "Who the hell do you think you and your friend are? Waltzing into Cross Academy and acting like you own the place... It's sickening, you know that!?"

Should I stand and listen, so not to aggravate and make her step on my drawings with her dirty boot-crumpling them and destroying them, or should I ignore her and pick up my notebook anyway?

...I was probably being a bit overly paranoid with the first scenario, so let's go with the second. Already assuming she would step on my hand as I went to pick them up I used my left, and for once it turned out I was correct in my guessing as she dug her heel into the back of my hand. I fought against the cry welling up in the back of throat, hiding the pain that threatened to contort my expression.

" _Listen_ to me!" No. You know why? Because you're a brat! Jealousy is unsightly, you know? Really, you need to grow up and stop fretting over something so stupid. If you want to talk to the Night Class then _talk to the Night Class_. I'm not going to stop you. I could feel the heel scrape against my skin, digging into my flesh and press harder into my bones.

 _Ow, ow, ow-!_ "Get off of me!" Grabbing her ankle with my right hand I tried to lift her foot up, but to no avail. All her weight was pressing down into that one limb, making it difficult to move. "You're gonna make me bleed and get blood over everything-stop it!" It hurts, damn you! Let go!

She lifted her foot, finally, and I was able to snatch up the notebook, but I was not expecting the kick she sent to the side of my face, the sharp corner of her shoe hitting me underneath the chin and sending me falling back onto my rear end. I could taste iron, happening from when I accidently bit my tongue, and winced as I sat up. My jaw was _throbbing_. I felt a bit like crying. Instead I just lifted my head up, expression cold and almost bored. She stiffened, looking rather frightened at that moment.

"Is that all?" Were you going to punch me too? Send your knee flying into my stomach, before kicking me repeatedly while I'm down? I've always wondered what getting into a fight felt like; I already knew I'd probably be attempting to block attacks rather than fight back, but I was quite annoyed with her behavior.

"Y-You'll never catch any of their interests!" Was her pathetic attempt to upset me before she dashed off, clearly afraid of getting into trouble. I sighed, looking down and making sure the drawings were all unharmed, before standing up. I wobbled a little, bringing a hand up to rub my stinging jaw, and stared in the direction of the crowd that was fangirling over the Night Class as they walked out of the still-opening gates.

I could see Eliza from this distance, hidden in the back, and I took note of Ichijou just waving to everybody with a beaming smile on his face. Next to him were the two other students Skylar and I had encountered on our way back to the Day Dorms-the maroon-haired boy and the ginger with the pig-tails. They both looked bored out of their mind.

...Should I still go and try and give him the drawings? It would just make things more troublesome, what with the angry fangirls and all. _This is why you don't have many friends, Irene; don't be so scared to talk to people._ It's such a hassle though... and I don't know if I feel like getting attacked again. But if I _don't_ talk to him I won't ever get my drawings back and I would love to scan those onto my laptop so I could color them later.

Seeing him get farther and farther away I made my decision, feeling awkward and ridiculous each second of it as I dashed over to the edge, standing on my toes and waving madly at him. "Upperclassman Ichijou!" I shouted as loud as I could, which actually wasn't that much of a feat seeing how I was already so loud when I talk, and the blond faltered in his walk for a moment before turning around when I called again. His eyes lit up. I cast a nervous glance around me, seeing the girls promising a cruel demise within their eyes, before making weird gestures with my hands in an attempt to silently ask if I should go over to him or if he could walk over to me.

After a moment I shook my head and awkwardly ran over, stopping in front of him and holding the notebook out.

"I-I, uh... I'm sorry about breaking into the Moon Dorms this morning. Skylar really wanted to see Eliza and wouldn't take "no" for an answer." I gave a sheepish laugh, feeling a bit like an ant underneath his gaze. "Um, h-here's... here's the notebook. If you still want to look."

His brightened. "Of course!" He pulled out my other notebook from his blazer, handing it to me as he took the new one, and said, "And I hope you don't mind, but I put a drawing of my own in there. I'm quite proud of it." He smiled. As I opened the notebook he had just given me, he tucked the one I had given him underneath his arm and reached out, helping me flip through the pages to try and find the one he was talking about. "It's right... over... there."

It took everything I had not to snort. It was probably the crudest drawing of some kind of "Oni" mask, making it as creepy and gross-looking as can be.

"Isn't it beautiful?" He asked, looking so proud of himself. I couldn't stop the amusement from entering my voice, a grin spreading across my face as I looked down at it.

"Very. It's amazing, Upperclassman Ichijou."

He looked so happy when I said that, but a concerned look suddenly crossed his face. "What happened to your face, Irene-Chan?" Oh... was it still red? I brought a hand up to the spot where I was kicked, wincing when it brushed against what felt like a small cut. "You're bleeding!"

"O-Oh, it's fine. I just tripped." I mean, it wasn't a _lie_... I did fall onto the ground. And I tripped multiple times earlier. I closed the notebook, about ready to try and make a quick escape, when he grabbed my wrist and turned it so he could see the indent and wound on my hand.

"And this?" He frowned, and I tried to think of the best way to weasel my way out of this situation. Four different scenarios popped in my head, only one of them good, but I didn't yank my wrist out of his hold. I doubted I would even be able to; I wasn't that physically strong. "That looks like the indent of a shoe..."

"I got stepped on," I admitted, shrugging nonchalantly. It wasn't that big of a deal; I could handle it. It's not like it's a papercut-I'm not going to complain about it. "I fell and someone stepped on me without paying attention. Haven't you ever had that happen to you?"

"N-No..." He appeared bothered by my words. Dropping my wrist he stepped back, holding the notebook to his chest. "You should hurry back to the dorms and clean up; we wouldn't want your wound to get infected." He gave a closed-eye smile, though it looked a bit forced. Seeing the expression on his face made me deflate, disheartened, and I nodded. _He's probably freaked out now..._ Right. Of course. "Have a good night, Irene-chan."

"O-Oh, uh, you too..."

Was he mad at me? What for? It was fine until I told him I fell... _Does he know I'm lying?_ I thought I was believable too... My smile faltered, wondering if I just lost the chance of obtaining a new friend. _I really am a terrible person, aren't I?_ Wonderful.

I stepped away, watching Ichijou make his way down to the dorms, and was about to turn when I saw someone staring at me out of the corner of my eyes. Turning my head I paused, staring curiously at the golden blond male who had been flirting with the other Day Class girls. His eyes were narrowed, almost as if he were glaring at me, and flashed with a dangerous red glow.

Wait, what?

I blinked, but the red from his eyes were gone and he huffed, turning and following after Ichijou. That was weird... but okay. 


	5. A Dangerous Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Aidou gets a bit bold and Kaien gives out hugs.

Skylar hadn't come back to the dorm at all last night. I supposed it made sense, seeing as being prefect meant she had to do the patrol around campus, but it wasn't until morning when she came stumbling in while I was getting dressed for school that I saw her again. We had band-aids, thankfully, as when we arrived we found them hidden behind the mirror in the bathroom.

Skylar was tired, so she didn't notice or pay much attention to the new bandages on the back of my hand and jawline. I was in the process of tying my bow when she finally took notice, blinking before asking loudly, "What happened to you!?"

I paused, blinking, and looked at her in confusion before my eyes widened in realization. "Oh! Oh, uh, some girl kicked me."

" _What!?_ "

"Yeah." I shrugged. "Knocked my notebook out of my hands and when I went to pick it up she stepped on me. Then kicked me. I thought it was kinda funny, actually."

"Irene, no! Oh my god!" Skylar looked mortified. Was it really that bad? Sure, it hurt to move my left hand a bit and speak, a good sized bruise forming along the cut and under my chin, but I hurt myself on a daily basis anyway. _I guess this could be called physical bullying,_ I thought, recalling the strange girl's glare. "Who was it? Do you know what they looked like?"

"No idea."

Skylar looked at me in disbelief, lowering her head with a sigh. "You're ridiculous..." A yawn broke her off, taking up the room. "You should point her out to me so I can go report her to the Headmaster."

I stared at Skylar with wide eyes, stunned by her words. _She's really taking her job as a prefect seriously... wow._ I figured she'd be skipping out on duties in order to catch up on sleep, but if she was gone all night then... "I-I-It's fine. Let's just-Let's just get ready and head to breakfast, alright?"

She frowned, but nodded. We made our way out of the dorms and to the school cafeteria, finally making it on time for once, and greeted Yori when we saw her. Yuuki wasn't with her, Yori then explaining that she and Zero ate with their father-the Headmaster-in the mornings, and Yori then asked if I got attacked by an angry mob of fangirls when she saw the bandages.

"Eh. Kind of." Was my response. I wondered why I was telling them this when I had lied to Ichijou, before deciding it was just because I was more comfortable around them. Girls are easy to speak to, but guys are a whole different matter altogether.

Classes were just plain boring; I'm not going to go too much into detail about them. Skylar was asleep for over half of them, waking up only when I mentioned the word "food", and we had to hightail it to the cafeteria so we wouldn't get lost in the crowd. The cafeteria food here was actually quite good, unlike the slop we got back in our High School in America. Good thing I always just packed my lunch then...

By the time classes ended I just wanted to sleep. So when we got back to the dorm I hopped in the shower, changed into comfy clothes, and plopped on my bed, burrowing underneath the covers like a rabbit. I was so done with the school life already-Everything is just way too exhausting. My brain gets too tired to try and translate by the time third period ends, so when fourth period go by I'm there staring blankly at the blackboard trying to understand what the heck it was the teacher said. I couldn't ask Skylar for help, as the girl was dead asleep in each class, and it was difficult constantly switching back-and-forth from English and Japanese.

I also didn't bother going to see the Night Class today; I just remembered the awkward conversation between me and Ichijou after he asked about the cuts.

...

"Hey, Ichijou." Aidou spoke suddenly, grabbing the tall male by his arm as they walked, stopping him from going any farther. They stood just below the staircase that would lead up to their classes. "What's wrong with you?" The green-eyed male paused, looking down at Aidou in confusion.

"What do you mean?"

The golden blond frowned deeply at that. "I saw you looking into the crowd. You were trying to find that human again, weren't you?"

Ichijou blinked. He then gave Aidou a small smile. "Isn't that how one makes friends, Aidou? By seeking them out and talking to them?"

Aidou narrowed his eyes at him, not believing a single thing he said. If there was one thing Aidou could do well it was read people, and as nice as Ichijou was even he had his dark side. Everyone had ulterior motives, no matter how kind they were or how innocent, but this man... He, who was best friends with the rare Pureblood Kuran Kaname, was clearly after something. "What's your goal? You're the least "Vampire" Vampire there is, so I doubt you're after her blood... you're not that kind of person. So what? And don't think of lying to me."

They held each other's gazes for a moment.

Then Ichijou spoke up. "Do you remember what happened during class the other day? And how yesterday while you were sleeping the two foreigners came here and talked to Riza-Chan for a while? That girl could be the branch of peace between Humans and Vampires, or even just the start of it. Of course," He brought a hand up to his chin, holding Irene's abandoned notebook to his chest. "I'm also doing this for a selfish reason. You know how much I love humans, don't you? And how they live their lives?" Aidou dreaded asking now, already figuring out where this was going.

Ichijou seemed to sparkle as he hugged the notebook, looking down at Aidou brightly.

"She's not scary like the other Day Class girls, so I thought it could be my chance to make a Human friend! I saw the opportunity and I just had to grab it! She's so shy and timid," He gushed, making Aidou sigh and run his hand through his hair as he berated himself for ever thinking there could be anything wrong. Of course Ichijou would want to befriend a Human; he was _Ichijou Takuma_ after all: a manga-obsessed Vampire who loved the burning sun despite its effect on creatures like them.

He probably didn't even start thinking of the human being a "branch" until _after_ he started talking to her, and even then he's probably just being overly hopeful. He was one of the few Vampires who earnestly wished to get along with Humans. Aidou did as well, of course, but not as strongly. He could care less, really. He loved Humans for their blood; Ichijou loved Humans for their culture and creations.

"I don't know why I try..." He breathed, worn. Aidou shook his head, walking past a still-gushing Ichijou and heading up the stairs. "Of course you'd be the one to get obsessed with a useless Human."

Ichijou stopped at those words, face dropping into that of seriousness, and watched Aidou walk away with calm, stern eyes. "Humans aren't useless, Aidou." He said, pulling his hand away from his face and folding it across his chest over the notebook. The golden blond stopped walking, hearing what Ichijou had to say. "They're just different; weaker, yes, but they're not useless. Everyone has a meaning to their life."

Fingers sliding over the railing of the staircase Aidou's icy blue eyes trailed down to meet Ichijou's, cool and dismissive. "See, that's where we differ, Ichijou. You actually _care_."

With that said he walked away, heading to class and leaving Ichijou standing there with a frown.

...

The next day wasn't much different, though I had to stay behind to help clean the classroom before the Night Class got there. I was one of the unlucky few who had their name drawn. It took about eight minutes, the Night Class usually taking up to fifteen minutes to actually reach the classroom due to all the crazy fangirls and boys, and when we finally finished the Night Class teacher ushered us out of the classroom. Yuuki accompanied us, making sure that as we passed the Night Class the girls we were with wouldn't just attack them, and as we passed by I couldn't help but turn my head to look at them.

I flinched away in surprise at the glare being shot my way by that blond from before-the one with the blue eyes. I didn't know him, so I was more than a little surprised at the hostility he was sending in my direction. I froze up when I saw Ichijou, instinctively stepping closer to Yuuki, and when the bubbly blond saw me his eyes brightened and he waved excitedly.

"Good morning, Irene-Chan, Yuuki-Chan!" He greeted, despite knowing very well it was noon. Yuuki looked alarmed before giving a quick bow, stammering out a good morning. I gave a small wave, hands shaking a little from anxiety. "Oh, that's right! Irene-Chan," He walked towards us, changing direction and catching the attention of the some of the Night Class students he was with. The blue-eyed blond's glare just intensified. "Your notebook!" He held it out to me.

I could feel so many eyes on me-even the three girls behind me were glaring. Yuuki looked surprised, but soon smiled. I hesitantly took the notebook from him.

"I was going to hand it to you yesterday, but you weren't at the gates..." He frowned, almost resembling that of a kicked puppy. "How's your chin? Does it still hurt?" I was still processing the fact that he was actually looking for me yesterday when he changed the subject, causing me to blank out for a moment.

"Huh? O-Oh, yeah, it's fine..."

"Irene?" A familiar voice spoke, interrupting the conversation, and my eyes lit up at the sight of the brunette.

"Eliza!" I lunged forward, Yuuki reaching out to stop me for a moment before retracting as she remembered what Kaien had told her. I hugged the brunette Night Class girl, happy to see her. "Darling, how are you!?"

"I'm fine-but what happened to _you_?" Her eyes zeroed in onto the band-aid I had plastered on my face.

"She fell," Ichijou spoke, frowning as he did so. Some of the Night Class students continued on towards the classroom, but a few stayed to watch the conversation: the redhead and his female ginger friend, along with the blue-eyed blond. A man with a surprising resemblance to Yuuki slowed as he passed Ichijou, muttering softly in what sounded like a warning.

"Takuma..."

The blond simply smiled at him. "It's alright, Kaname. You go on ahead." The man nodded, his garnet eyes closing briefly before opening again as he continued on his way. Kaname and Yuuki greeted each other as he passed. Takuma continued, "Irene-Chan fell and someone accidentally stepped on her." He looked down at me. "That's what you said, wasn't it?"

Ah... crap. That's right; I told him that was what happened, didn't I? Oops. "Y-Yeah..."

Eliza looked ready to smack me upside the head. "How are you always so clumsy!? I swear, it's just getting worse and worse each day with you! And to think falling down the stairs was your normal."   
  


"Hey! It's not my fault those stairs are mean!"

She just crossed her arms over her chest and raised an eyebrow at me. I faltered, trying to think of a better argument, before lowering my head in defeat.

"It's not though..." Eliza just laughed at my reaction and pat me on the head. She then started to walk past me, giving a light wave. "W-Wait! Are you already leaving?"

"I have class," She explained, grinning. "I'll see you later, okay?"

I felt disheartened, but at the promise of seeing her again soon I cheered up. "Okay. Have fun. Bye-bye!" I waved, grinning widely. Seeing Ichijou about ready to follow her and the blue-eyed blonde I called out to him, waving my hand at him. "Have a nice night!"

His head turned just slightly, looking at me from the corner of his eye, and he smiled as he gave a small wave of his own. "You, too, Irene-Chan."

The two gingers watched with dull expressions, looking from me to them, before sighing in unison and moving along. If I had known that that one conversation would have caused me trouble later on in the day, I probably wouldn't have spoken at all. But, then again, seeing how everything turned out I guess I should be thankful.

The walk to the dorm was a long one, paranoia of someone jumping out of the bushes and attacking me running through my mind. As to be expected nothing happened, and when I got the dorm I kicked off my shoes and plopped down onto my bed, lazily proceeding to take my leggings off. I yawned and stretched, and it didn't take long for me to fall asleep.

The next time I awoke was when I was being shook awake, a familiar pair of brown eyes looking down at me. I stared at Skylar groggily, before my eyes shot open and I screeched, the girl moving out of the way faster than one could blink as I sat up. "TH-THE HECK!?" Does she know how creepy that-okay. Yes. Yes she does. That was probably the whole reason she did it. "Wh-What are you doing!?"

"Waking you up." She responded bluntly. I made a sour face, rubbing my eyes and trying to become more alert. "It's twelve right now. I'm gonna go on patrol; you wanna come with?" What? Skylar was joking, wasn't she? I promptly ignored her, grabbing the thick blankets and pulling them over my head. "Irene~! Come on~!" She shook me, trying to convince me to get up.

"I dun wanna~!"

Then, without any remorse, Skylar yanked the blankets off of me with a shocking amount of force. I yelped and curled into a ball, legs freezing now. "Get up already! You're going to walk with me!" It didn't take a genius to figure out that I had no choice in this matter. Moving so I faced her I frowned. "Put some shoes on and let's go." Despite her words, she didn't sound harsh; Skylar's voice was filled with cheerfulness.

"Do I have to?" I whined. She grinned.

"Yes. Now come on~! If we're lucky we can see sneak into the classes and grab Eliza."

I sat up, undercut hair going in every direction, and stared at her blankly. "You're going to get us expelled. Have you realized that yet?" God, I'm so tired... I let out another yawn. 

I pulled my blazer and tie off, remaining in the white button up, and just slid on some jeans for comfortability. They were thicker than leggings and covered more than the skirt. I was about to grab my two jackets, ready to put them on, when Skylar told me it was rather warm out. I always got cold easily, but I decided to take her word for it and followed her out of the dorms.

Turns out it was actually rather nice out, but I still shivered every now and then as I followed Skylar nervously through the campus. It was dark out, almost unbearably so, and if Skylar wasn't here with me I probably would have dashed back into the dorms. It felt like we were being watched-as though something was going to jump out of the bushes at any moment.

It bothered me. Skylar and I talked a bit, me asking her about what happened the other night, and Skylar demanding in detail as to what had happened with the girl who attacked me. I reluctantly explained, not really wishing the stranger to end up in trouble. Skylar looked like she was going to demand retribution. "It's fine," I told her for the sixth time, trying to calm her down. "I appreciate that you care, but seriously; I'm fine." I laughed.

She just frowned at me. I froze, hearing voices, and Skylar turned her head in the direction they came from. "Seriously? Freaking fangirls-wait here!" I opened my mouth to protest about being left alone, but Skylar had already bolted towards the noise, vanishing through the leaves of the woods. Speaking of that, we're close to the Moon Dorms, aren't we?

I looked up, seeing that the building was indeed close by, and thought about heading over as I knew Eliza would be awake before deciding to just plop down on the ground, waiting patiently for Skylar to come back as I tore up the grass sticking out of the ground. After a while I began to tie the grass stalks, attempting to make some weird sort of bracelet-thing out of boredom, when I saw the band-aid on my hand was threatening to come off.

I ran my thumb over it, knitting my eyebrows together when I saw that it was already peeling off from all the times I had washed my hands or taken a shower. Without hesitating I yanked it off, wincing just slightly, before rubbing at the stinging skin. It really was a nasty looking injury. It wasn't deep, but her heel did dig in so much that I was going to have a scar for a few days after it heals. It's still slightly bleeding.

Hearing the bushes rustle I tensed, looking up and nervously standing. "S... Skylar?" More rustling, but coming from a different direction now. "Skylar, is that you?" Maybe it's just the wind...

Yeah. Definitely. It's the wind. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, chest constricting slightly in my fear. _It's okay. Everything's okay. Just calm down. No one is here._ I stepped back, nearing a tree, and reached my right hand out behind me to feel for the bark when I felt something akin to fingers wrap around my wrist.

"Well, look at who we have here~" A voice purred, sending chills down my spine. I shrieked, frightened, and as I whirled around I went to smack the person with my left hand. They managed to stop it from making contact, using their other hand to stop the attack and grab that wrist, and as I looked up to see who the intruder was I froze. Cold ice blue eyes grinned mischievously, a smirk spreading across his face. "Ichijou's new friend! Mind telling me what you're doing here so late at night?"

I tried to worm my hands out of his grasp, but he was strong. That annoying smirk wouldn't leave his face either. "Let-Let go of me!"

"That's a bit rude, isn't it? You haven't even introduced yourself to me; don't you know how introductions are done?" I don't like this. I got a _really_ really bad vibe off this guy and-oh god, Skylar, where are you!? "I can tell you how it goes; here, I'll start first. _My_ name is Aidou Hanabusa. Now-you're turn, foreigner."

What is wrong with this guy!? Just let go! I-I don't like this! "I-Irene. T-Taylor Irene."

"Taylor-San, hm?" My eyes widened in surprise, hearing his perfect English compared to everyone else. So far Kaien had been the only one able to pronounce my last name correctly. "Oh, no. Would you look at that?" He twisted my left hand, causing me to cry out and attempt to pull away again, and brought it close to his face. "You're bleeding." He closed his eyes and inhaled, and as he opened them again I panicked-reeling my leg up and kicking him in the thigh.

"Sorry!" I squeaked as he let go in surprise, and I stumbled back. I fell onto the ground with a thud, grunting painfully as I looked up at him. I scrambled up onto my feet, wobbling a little as I tried to get up and run, but I only ended up crashing into another person's chest. There was a light groan and I backed away, horrified at what was happening.

The person I had ran into was the same redhead Skylar and I had passed the other day when we were leaving the Moon Dorms. His stone blue eyes looked almost lifeless, nothing but apathy adorning his face. He stared down at me for a moment, almost as though he was trying to look into my soul, and moved his gaze onto the man who called himself Aidou. "Aidou-San..." His voice was so soft, like he was whispering. "You shouldn't be doing this..."

The blond scoffed and crossed his arms, looking indignant and childish. "Why are you even here, Shiki? Shouldn't you be with the Vice Dorm Head?"

Vice Dorm Head...? Hold on. I'm so confused. W-Wait, what is he- _No!_ I saw the blue-eyed blond take one step forward, but before I could even blink he was suddenly in front of me. One hand was tilting my head to the side, the other gripping my right arm. I couldn't breathe.

"This Human being the "branch to peace"... I respect him, but sometimes Ichijou can say some really strange things." His voice lowered and I could feel his breath against my neck. That's when I knew what was happening. Something wet ran across the skin on my neck and in a complete spur-of-the-moment, terrified for my life and more, I reeled my left fist back and swung, pain flaring in my knuckles as it made contact with his face.

Aidou was sent stumbling away in shock, a hand to his wounded face, and I cried out as I shook my aching hand rapidly before cradling it to my chest. The man... Shiki, I think Aidou called him, simply blinked at the scene before him.

Just then there was a clicking sound. I turned to see what it was, but when I did I wasn't sure what was scarier; being sexually harassed and not being strong enough to do anything about it, or seeing Skylar standing there with cold brown eyes, a gun held in her hands and pointed directly at the blond.

I had to force myself to snap out of my shock, only able to screech one thing. "Wh-Why the heck do you have a _gun!?_ "

Another click.

"Skylar, I swear to god-"

"I like to hunt," Was her simple response when she finally spoke up. "I have a ton in our room. Mainly the closet. But I also have to add that while I am a hunter, I'm normally lenient in what I go after. But, unfortunately for _you_ , I don't take kindly to those who attack my friend." There was no mercy in her gaze; it was like she was a completely different person. Was this side of Skylar the part of her I never knew? "If you were friendlier, this wouldn't be a problem... now would it, _beast_?"

Aidou actually looked afraid, and seeing Skylar ready to shoot I panicked. I tackled her, Skylar letting out a yell as a gunshot rang out, and I cried out. My hearing went deaf temporarily, the gunshot being so close, and I could feel something dig into my stomach, but after a few moments of silence and nobody moving I slowly opened my eyes.

The gun was pressed into my stomach and she had shot, but there was no wound. What? The gun's empty? But... But it made a sound... _What?_ Though I was in shock I had managed to pull myself off of Skylar, raising a hand and pressing it against the spot where there should be a gaping hole in the middle of my abdomen. But there wasn't. Not even blood. _Why?_ How?

"Did you seriously think I was going to have a _loaded_ gun?" She suddenly asked, sitting up and raising an eyebrow at me. "I'd get expelled right off the spot."

The men named Shiki and Aidou didn't look convinced, but it was enough said to leave me dumbfounded. "You could've killed me," Aidou breathed, sweat beading down the sides of his face. He inched towards Shiki, who just gave him a lifeless stare. "Y-You... You..."

"Aidou! Shiki! What are you two doing!?" A familiar face came running into view, "I heard from Rima-Chan that you two were out here, and when I smelled the blood I assumed Aidou was..." Ichijou paused, staring at the scene in front of him with wide eyes. Skylar was standing now, gun still held in her hands, while I remained on my knees on the ground, a hand over my stomach where I had been hit. "I-Irene-Chan, Rosemary-San..."

Just... I'm sorry, but _what!?_

I'm so lost. What the heck is happening right now? Ichijou looked pained, whereas Aidou continued to hide behind Shiki in fear of my currently very angry friend. "Your little _friend_ tried to break the rules," Skylar growled, looking at Ichijou. B-Breaking the-

"Breaking the rules!?" I practically screeched. "He almost broke the _law!_ " Everyone looked at me, startled. "Y-You don't-You don't just... just go up to someone a-and... and _lick_ them! Th-That's-That's sexual harassment, isn't it!?" Oh god, ew! Finally having some form of way to respond to the situation at hand I pulled my sleeve over the palm of my hand and rubbed furiously at my neck, "Gross! Dude, that's disgusting!"

At my words everyone seemed to relax. Ichijou's face went from pained to relieved, and Skylar lowered the gun in her hand with a sigh. "You're so innocent, Irene..." She breathed, shaking her head with a smile. "So, am I reporting him to the Headmaster for attempted rape?" Aidou looked horrified, even disbelieving. He seemed to pale at Skylar's words, looking even more nervous now, and stiffened when he saw my eyes on him.

At her words I paused, realizing that _something_ was going to have to happen. Though I still felt fear towards the person who had attacked me, when I looked at him I hesitated. Would he get sent to jail if we reported him? What would happen? I looked down at the ground, knitting my eyebrows together as I tried to figure out the best thing to do.

If I wasn't here, he might have attacked those girls Skylar went to retrieve and send back to the dorms. On the other hand, now that people know what he's like they'll keep a better eye on him and so he might not try and do it again. They could scare him out of it. But then there's also the chance that it won't work and he'll continue anyway. The second, or third I guess, scenario would be to report him and have him go to jail.

I dug my fingers into the ground, pulling at the grass, and bit my lip before sighing. "N-No, it's... it's fine. H-He didn't really _do_ anything to me except grab me and lick my neck." Creeper. Feeling awkward sitting down like this I stood, folding my arms anxiously across my chest and hugging myself, pulling at the sleeves on my arms. "Just..." My eyes flickered over to the stunned blond, whose blue eyes were as wide as could be. My voice hardened, "Just don't do it again. T-To me _or_ anyone else. O-Or I won't stop Skylar from attacking you."

"O-Okay..."

Ichijou had a mixture of emotions flash across his face-from surprise, to relief, to shock, and more. After a moment he sighed, a small smile spreading across his face as he shook his head. "You're too kind, Irene-Chan... but while you don't wish for him to be reported to the Headmaster, as the Vice Dorm President of the Night Class I have to report him to our Dorm Leader. After that it'll be up to Kaname as to what happens to Aidou." But-! I deflated. There really was no getting him out of trouble, was there?

Wait, why am I even trying? I should be all for him going to jail, shouldn't I? Ah, I really am too sappy. No wonder it's so hard for me to hate someone.

I felt Skylar walk over and pat me on the head, pulling me into a hug. I reached up and placed my hands on her arms, reflecting over the situation and my actions. I wondered if I made a mistake or not.

Ichijou grabbed Aidou by his ear, the golden blond letting out a yelp, and he sent Shiki a stern frown. "Shiki... why didn't you try to stop Aidou?" I looked at them in confusion. Shiki _did_ try to stop Aidou. I mean, he only said one sentence, but still. "I'm going to have to report you too..."

"Sorry... Ichijou-San."

Ichijou looked sad at having to report the redhead, and seeing this I couldn't help but speak up.

"H-He did try though. A-Aidou-Aidou-San just didn't listen to him." Ichijou blinked and looked at Shiki and Aidou, surprised.

"Is this true?" He asked.

Aidou simply huffed and turned his head, while Shiki gave a lazy shrug. Ichijou's shoulders relaxed and he smiled. Then, using his free hand, he reached out and pat Shiki on the head. The redhead stared unblinkingly.

"I'm proud of you, Shiki! You did well. Now, Aidou... I'm sure Kaname would like to have a few words with you." Aidou let out a terrified squeal at his words, stress lines forming on his face as Ichijou gave him a light yank on his ear. Ichijou turned and smiled at us. "I'm terribly sorry for his actions; Aidou is very reckless and, while greatly intelligent, a bit of an idiot."

Aidou gaped, while Shiki turned his head and let out a quiet, "Pff..."

"WHY ARE YOU INSULTING ME WHILE TALKING SO POLITELY!?" Aidou raged, but another yank caused him to cry out again. "Do you want to die!?" Yank. "Ichijou!" Yank.

"I wish you both a good night," Ichijou finished, yanking every time Aidou yelled and ignoring all the threats he was sending his way. His eyes softened when he looked at me. "Please, don't linger too much on this, Irene-Chan. Stress isn't good for one's health."

"O-Oh, uh, o-okay..." I bit my lip awkwardly, still clinging onto Skylar. I became all too aware of the gun in Skylar's hand again and wondered why Aidou was still so afraid of her after she explained that the gun had no bullets inside of it. "Um... S-Sorry for-for all this..."

His eyes widened again. Then he chuckled, the smile never leaving his face but seeming to soften in delivery. "It's quite alright, Irene-Chan. You didn't know this would happen. You're just a victim in all this. Now, please, hurry back to the dorms before Kiryuu-Kun or Yuuki-Chan catch wind of you. You aren't supposed to be out here at this time, regardless of your friend being a prefect."

But... "How can you report him if you don't tell him who he attacked?"

"Ah... you're right." Ichijou looked down at Aidou with a frown, knitting his eyebrows together. "I guess it really is up to you then, Irene-Chan. You still don't wish for him to be reported to the Headmaster, but what about the Dorm Head? Are you alright with me telling him about you?"

"...I-I don't... " I don't know. I shifted uncomfortably, eyes stinging a little. I blinked a few times. What should I say?

"No?" Ichijou looked very surprised at that. Aidou, though relieved, was stunned. I wasn't sure what to say, so I just shrugged awkwardly.

"Yes! Report him!" Skylar exclaimed incredulously, finding the very thought of letting him go free idiotic. "He'll attack someone else if you don't!"

Overwhelmed by the whole situation I pulled myself away from Skylar and stumbled back, hands over my ears as I flinched and cried out, "No! I don't know! I-I can't-How am I supposed to choose!? I-It's not like he actually _did_ anything s-so-so let him go?"

Ichijou released Aidou, who fell forward with a yelp. "Y-You're letting me go?" He looked startled, looking back-and-forth between me and Ichijou. Ichijou sighed, bringing a hand up and ruffling his hair.

"It's not my decision, but yes... just be more careful next time. Now, what do you say to Irene-Chan for being so nice despite how you've tried to harm her?" He was smiling, but it was... kind of intimidating to look at. Instead of the normal easygoing and welcoming smile he normally gave, Ichijou looked quite threatening. I'd be scared to see how he'd act if he wasn't smiling.

Aidou looked at him with wide eyes, an aghast expression on his face, before he slowly turned to look at me. Scowling he stepped forward, stopping when he saw me back away. His eyebrows knit together for a moment before he reluctantly gave a deep bow in my direction. "Th... Thank you for sparing me..." He had to grit the words out from his teeth, "Damn Ichijou..."

Ichijou just crossed his arms and pouted. "That's what you get for being so mean, Aidou. If you weren't bullying Irene-Chan, then I wouldn't have come here. You should be glad I'm respecting her wishes and not reporting you; you'd be in even more trouble than usual. You know how Kaname gets when he's mad-did you forget the time when he made you stand out in the hall carrying buckets, and when you tried to walk after him he went and placed one on your head so you'd stop?"

"We are _not_ talking about that in front of _them_!"

The two remained bickering, Ichijou's tone lighthearted and Aidou's cold and loud, and it was only when Shiki spoke up that the two stopped. "Mister Disciplinary Committee is heading this way..."

"Eh!?" Ichijou was alarmed. With wide eyes, Ichijou quickly walked over to us and placed his hands on my shoulders, trying to push me away from the clearing. "This is bad; Irene-Chan, you need to get back to the dor-!" There was a click and the rustle of leaves, and suddenly I was yanked forcefully away from Ichijou, a hand gripping my bicep tightly and the other pointing a gun at the blond's face.

"Th-The heck is with all the guns!?" Ow, ow, ow-let go of me; that hurts!

"N-Now, now, Kiryuu-Kun. There's no need for violence; we're all friends here. I was just going to escort Irene-Chan back to the Day Dorms-"

"Likely story," Zero growled. I was smacking his arm now, trying to get him to let go of mine. His lilac eyes turned and glared down at me. "You damn fangirls are a pain, you know that?"

"Fangir- _FANGIRL!?_ I was forced to come here!" He raised an eyebrow at me. Skylar raised her hand, looking irritably at Zero.

"I'm a prefect, too, you know. I'm the one who brought her out here with me, so it's fine, isn't it?"

"It's against the rules for those without the title of Disciplinary Committee to be out of the dorms after dusk." He retorted. His glare intensified at her. "You _know_ about these creatures and yet you still let her come here?"

"Ichijou is friendly!" Ah. No honorific- _and owwwwww! LET GO OF ME; YOU'RE GONNA LEAVE A BRUISE!_ "It's Aidou who needs to be smacked."

"EH!? WHY YOU-! DO YOU HAVE A DEATH WISH, HUNTER!?"

"I'm not afraid to use this!"

I cut in, confused, "But you said the barrel was empty!"

"That's... That's because it is!"   
  


"Then why are you threatening him!?"

"Because I can hit him upside the head with it!"   
  


"Ohhh... that makes sense. I knew that."

...

Skylar was gonna hit her. Dear god, she loved that girl to death but Skylar was going to hit her. Why on earth did she promise Eliza to keep Vampires a secret from her? It would be so much easier if she could just blurt it all out. "Oh, the gun didn't hurt you because you're Human and it's only effective on Vampires" and "He wasn't harassing you, he was trying to bite you in order to get blood. Why? Because he's a mother f'ning VAMPIRE".

Zero wasn't making this any easier. He really, really wasn't. And if he didn't let go of Irene in _ten seconds she was going to-_

Skylar let out a yell when Zero suddenly walked over and grabbed her by the scruff, stuffing his gun back into the uniform vest. She had a flash of deja vu to when they met Ichijou and how he had dragged them off in a similar fashion to then.

"You two are going to the Headmaster, _now_. You for breaking the rules and _you_ for abusing your position as a prefect." Skylar gaped, dumbfounded at his words. How was she abusing her power? All she did was bring a friend along.

"Ow, ow, ow~!" Irene cried out, stumbling as she struggled to keep up with the silver-haired man's long stride. Skyler clawed at Zero's hands, trying to get him to let go. "That hurts!"

"Shut up."

The trek to the school was slow and agonizing, and when they reached the Headmaster's Office Zero practically threw the two girls in there and stormed out, demanding them to remain put. Skylar suggested making a run for it, but the girl who more often than not acted as her conscious here simply declined, voice cracking as she tapped her fingers nervously against her thigh. Skylar's hands shook a little as well, not really wishing to be expelled either, and her heart almost jumped out of her chest when she heard the door open.

"So late at night, too... You guys are the fifth pair of Day Class students tonight." The Chairman sighed. "Why can't Zero just let this rest until morning?" He was dressed in the most ridiculous pajamas-a pink nightgown with yellow stars and a cap that had a cottonball at the end of it. His long hair was down. His eyes fixated on the two, the male pausing. "Ah... Rosemary-San, Taylor-San." He looked at them inquisitively. "Why did Zero bring you two here?"

Zero, who was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, simply huffed. "They were talking with some of the upperclassmen from the Night Class."

"Ehhh? Really? Taylor-San and Rosemary-San were? Who were they speaking to?"

"Upperclassman Shiki, Upperclassman Ichijou, and Upperclassman Aidou."

"Aidou-Kun!? Oh my... did he attack another student?" At his words Irene's eyes widened, alarm flashing across her face as she looked ready to cry. "This is the third time this year..."

 _How many Humans did that Vampire attack!?_ Skylar thought, anger boiling inside of her. This is why she hated Vampires-they may appear nice on the outside, but in the end they're nothing but blood-thirsty beasts. Very few are ones you can truly trust.

Skylar had been hoping that Cross Academy would be different, that there'd be no need for her to have to protect any Humans here, but in the end... well, it seems nothing changed. From Purebloods to the rotten Level-E's... they're all the same in the end. All beasts. All _murderers._ And to think that man actually had _victims_ in the past...

He even dared to try attack her friend. Her _Human_ friend who had little means of defending herself. And yet even after she had mistaken his attack for something nearly worse than being bitten and drained dry, she still asked Ichijou to let him go free.

But if she wasn't going to report him... damn it. "He didn't attack her." Skylar grumbled, "We were just talking. I asked her to come out with me since I wanted someone to talk to and we bumped into them. Ichijou could hear Zero coming our way, so he went to go escort Irene back to the Day Dorms so she wouldn't get in trouble."

Kaien frowned, not believing her, and after a long moment of silence said, "Taylor-San... please come here." The brunette stiffened, but slowly got up and made her way over to him. "Don't move." Irene practically stopped breathing. Skylar's hands curled up into fists, watching quietly. The Headmaster grabbed Irene's chin and tilted her head, looking for what she guessed to be bite marks. Seeing none he dropped his hand and grabbed her wrist, pushing the sleeves up. "There's nothing there..." His voice was soft, serious. It was unlike him.

Then, out of nowhere, his eyes sparkled as he pulled away, dashing over to Zero and hugging him tightly with a manic grin.

"There's nothing there! Kiryuu-Kun, Kiryuu-Kun, do you know what this means!?" Zero tried to push the man off of him, but Kaien was stronger than he looked. "Peace _is_ possible!"

"It could just mean that he didn't have enough time to do anything," The prefect growled, giving one last shove before finally managing to push the Headmaster away. The Headmaster paused, hands frozen in the air mid-clap, and he gave Zero a sour look.

"Must you really crush my hopes like that?"

"Hn."

"Kiryuu-Kun~!" Kaien slumped his shoulders, looking utterly depressed. "Can't you just _try_ to play along with my ideals? Even just a little bit?"

Zero didn't give him a response, turning his head away with a scoff. Kaien sighed. The Headmaster turned to face the two girls, both of whom were staring up at him with a mixture of expressions. Both were defiant, but while each held fear one was bold and the other timid. One would speak up, the other would remain silent. One looked ready to tear his and Zero's head off and the other... well, like they were going to start crying at any minute.

"Well, I suppose you _are_ right on one thing. We can't have any Day Class student that is not a prefect wandering around after dusk. I'm going to have to punish you." Irene looked even more horrified of that statement than she did when she was conversing with Aidou. Skylar cursed silently. "Now, what would be suitable...?"

A pause. The quiet was broken only by a sniffle.

"A-Ah, why are you crying like that?"

"I'm-I'm not." Irene was. She seriously was. _Oh my god._ She was struggling to keep a straight face, but Irene was definitely crying. Her bottom lip trembled and she blinked rapidly, the tears forming without her consent. Her hands were pulling at the fabric of her shirt, clinging onto it tightly. "I-I..." She lowered her head, trying to hide her face.

Seeing the Headmaster's will weaken at the sight Skylar gave her best pout, watering her eyes as she feigned tears.

"S-Sorry," Irene choked. "I-I don't know why-I-I'm s-sorry..." The words got caught in her throat and Skylar walked over, hugging her emotional friend tightly. Kaien had tears of his own by this point, and Zero just face-palmed in the background at the sight. "W-We're so s-sorry!" And Irene broke, the tears falling like an exploding dam. She brought her hands up to her face, rubbing frantically at her burning eyes, and Kaien couldn't take it anymore.

Lunging forward he hugged the two girls. "Don't cry, please don't cry! I take it back; I take it back! Everything's okay; you're forgiven!"

"B-But-"

"Nope!"

Skylar spoke up, "Even though I-"

"Hush you!"

"Headmaster," Zero started, a tick mark forming on his face from annoyance, but Kaien cut him off as well.

"SILENCE! THESE TWO CHILDREN ARE SAD, ZERO! WE MUST CONSOLE THEM!"

"You're an idiot." Kaien just stuck his tongue out, holding a dumbfounded Irene and an amused Skylar to his chest.

"No group hug for you." 


	6. An Emotional Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Skylar drags Irene out into town and they meet some unexpected acquaintances.

Classes went by without a hitch, though I was still trying to figure out why the Headmaster let us go so easily. I ended up thinking about how I was attacked, how I let Aidou go, how Skylar had that gun, and... what they said about Aidou having attacked other students before. _Even if I did let Upperclassman Ichijou report him, it's probably one of those "Oh, but it would ruin his scholarship" kind of things and he wouldn't get into trouble at all._ I heard cases like that on the news all the time; my dad told me about them constantly.

And with how much the other girls hated me for talking to Upperclassman Ichijou, I doubt they'd even listen to me if I did try to warn them about Aidou. I groaned and buried my face into my hands, eyes stinging as I thought about how scary last night was. I've never been attacked, nevertheless touched, like that in my life and I-I couldn't even fight him off. Not really.

Still leaning over I grabbed at my hands, running my thumb across my knuckles. That punch had really hurt... I doubted I did much to harm him as I did to me when I hit him, but even though he had been attacking me I still felt like a bad person for hitting him. I sat up and groaned, ruffling my hair, and was more than grateful that Skylar was currently asleep. I'm pretty sure she was still irritable with my actions from yesterday.

Isn't it bad to still feel guilt even though you were just defending yourself from your attacker? Why does my brain work this way? Why must I feel horrible for things that I do to people when they just wish to harm me? This is so stupid...

I don't even know _why_ Kaien let us go-I had been panicking and freaking out, terrified of getting yelled at and in trouble, and due to how fast the events in the forest happened I hadn't had time to process them until after we were thrown into the Headmaster's office. It all just caught up with me a-and... and before I realized it the tears were falling. I felt so violated-I _still_ feel violated.

It didn't matter how much I rubbed or scrubbed or scratched, I could still feel him. I could still feel Aidou gripping my arm and running his tongue across my neck. My eyes burned at the memory and I pulled at my hair, lowering my head. A felt a twinge of gratitude at that moment, as since Skylar was up so late last night she was currently asleep. Nobody else in the classroom cared about me, so no one would bother me.

But I also felt like that was a horrible thing, as I would give anything for a good distraction right now. I had taken a shower once we got back to the dorm and this morning, scrubbing until the skin was red and raw, but still... _Damn it._ God damn it. The hold I had on my hair tightened and I reached up underneath my glasses with my other, pressing my fingers against my burning eyes.

I couldn't even sleep last night; I kept freaking out thinking Aidou was climbing in through the window or something and try to finish what he had started. I prayed Ichijou and that one guy... Shiki, was it?... kept quiet and didn't mention anything to Eliza. If I talked about what happened I would probably start bawling; I'm already crying just thinking about it. My chest constricted, making it hard to breathe, and my nose was running so bad I had to keep sniffling. I could feel some people glance this way, probably curious as to what was wrong but not caring enough to find out.

I took a deep, shaky breath and sat up, pulling my glasses off and rubbing at my face with the sleeve of my uniform blazer. _I'm okay. I'm okay. He's not here. H-He won't... He won't do anything._ Ichijou will keep him at bay, right? He's the Vice Dorm Head-he even _wanted_ to report him to that-that Kaname guy.

Kaname... that sounds familiar. Wait, isn't that the guy who looked a bit like Yuuki? The tall one with the dark hair and garnet eyes?

I didn't dwell on it much. I just watched the clock with lifeless eyes and waited for the bell to ring. I was too upset to draw; every time I attempt to draw whenever I'm upset it just looks wrong and never comes out good. I didn't follow the crowd after class-I just woke up Skylar, told her to go help Yuuki and Zero, and made my way to the Day Dorms with head held low.

It was Saturday, so despite it being the weekend we had classes, but _because_ it was the weekend the classes ended early. We were also allowed to the leave campus and into town, but only if we had a friend with us. I didn't care about that however and just went to take another shower, scrubbing my neck until it bled, and got dressed into some casual clothes before burrowing underneath the covers in my bed until I fell asleep, plugging my earbuds into my ears with my music from phone in order to distract me from bad thoughts.

I woke up to Skylar shaking me, demanding in a lighthearted tone that I go into town with her to check out some candy shop she heard some students talk about. I groaned and rolled onto my back, whining about her stealing my blankets and taking my earbuds. I opened eyes and stared at her groggily, the girl dressed in normal clothes as well.

I almost snorted at her choice, finding it quite fitting. Skylar did love food after all. She had gotten dressed into a purple, off-the-shoulder shirt that had the image of a taco on it, the words "Current Mood" written underneath. Attached two the shirt were two black straps on each side, holding it up on her shoulders, and she wore a pair of white leggings with black combat boots.

"You need to come with me!" She said, still shaking me. "It'll be fun! We never got to go out like this before! Please~?"

"Do I have to...?" I just wanted to stay in bed. I didn't even have the strength to get up.

Ice blue eyes flashed in my mind and I froze, fear rushing through my face and paranoia washing over me. _No!_ I sat up quickly, breathing a bit faster than normal, and looked at Skylar with an almost pleading look.

"I'm coming!" Please don't leave me alone. I-I can't-No. No. I'm fine. _I'm fine._ Aidou can't get me. He's Night Class, so... after class he's probably sleeping. Actually, wait, what time is it?

I rubbed at my eyes, squinting as I was no longer wearing my glasses, and looked at the clock on the nightstand between our beds. We had changed stuff up after we moved in, the room being quite huge but rather empty, so we put the beds closer together and put the nightstand between them. On the opposite wall was the dresser, which was located near the closet that Skylar used for her clothes and stuff.

Blinking, my eyes widened at what the clock said. It was already eight. The Night Classes were probably going to end in about an hour or so due to the Saturday Schedule. N-No... _I'm not staying here._ I reached over and plucked my glasses off the nightstand and put them on, stumbling out of bed and clumsily making my way over to the bathroom.

Skylar waited patiently for me to brush my hair to the left and spray it, leaving my undercut there for all to see, before pulling on some socks and lumbering about like an oaf in an attempt to pull on the boots I had brought with me.

I reached out and grabbed onto her sleeve with my thumb and forefinger, a bit like a small child would their mother, and followed her off campus and into town. After a long walk of silence, my thoughts wandering to less than pleasant places, I had to ask-

"Since when did you go hunting?" She didn't seem like the type to like to go and kill adorable small animals. Skylar remained silent for a while, thinking about her answer.

"...My father used to take me when I was little." Oh. How do I respond to that? She never told me much about her father, except that he had died when she was younger.

I was never good at approaching subjects like these; someone in class would bring up how their parent or sibling had died, and I would just go silent. It's not like I could say "I'm sorry"-I've never lost a family member I personally knew. I didn't really know _grief_ or _loss_ unless it was over a pet, and with how badly I cried during those I knew I would probably break if I lost someone important to me. I try to think of something to say, something that would make them feel better, but I just didn't know what.

"So... think they have chocolate?" Skylar randomly brought up, changing the subject. I was confused for a moment, brain temporarily failing to realize she was talking about the candy shop we were looking for.

...

"The hell?" Eliza could smell it. From the moment he walked into the classroom to the moment he sat down a few rows in front of her. Even now he was covered in it. She remembered last night-she had smelled Irene's blood nearby. She didn't know _why_ it had seemed so close to the Dorms, Irene isn't a rulebreaker, but when she was leaving the Dorms this evening to head to class she could smell Irene on Aidou. Skylar was also a little more than just obvious about the glares she was shooting at him. And Ichijou... why does he keep refusing to look at her?

No... Did Aidou do something to Irene!?

Suddenly she remembered what Ichijou had told her when they first met. How Aidou had been one of the many Vampires to have been fed Human blood in the past.

Disregarding all manners of the Japanese culture Eliza yanked Ichijou's sleeve, frowning deeply as she narrowed her eyes. The blond had almost jumped out of his skin at the sudden action, pencil shooting across the paper and leaving a line. He looked at her almost nervously. "Y-Yes, Riza-Chan? What is it?" Releasing him now that she had his attention she asked,

"What happened last night?" She _knows_ something went on. If Aidou did anything...

"What do you mean, Riza-Chan?" He gave a small closed-eye smile, trying to play it off, but Eliza already knew. He was being so obvious it was almost painful. Eliza just looked at him, unimpressed by his horrible attempt at lying. "Is something the matter?" He grew more nervous when she didn't speak, her blue eyes just boring into what felt like his very soul. He shifted uncomfortably. "R-Riza-Chan?"

"What did Aidou do?"

The blue-eyed blond stiffened from his seat below them, hair sticking up on the back of his neck. He shot a nervous glance towards them before hurriedly scribbling in his notebook, ripping out a sheet of paper and balling it up, and throwing it in their direction. It bounced off Eliza and Ichijou's desk, rolling onto the floor. They stared at it. Aidou huffed and repeated his action. Kain raised his head from his spot against the wall and raised an eyebrow down at him. Souen, the pale brunette from before, looked at him like he was an idiot.

Aidou was about to repeat the action a third time, the second wad of paper haven fallen on the floor, but Kuran Kaname spoke up, not ever lifting his gaze up from his book. "It would be appreciated if you didn't litter in the classroom, Aidou..." The blond let out a small, terrified squeak before sinking into his desk, trying to bury his nose into his book as he let out a frightened,

"Y-Yes, Lord Kaname! M-My apologies."

Ichijou, seeing the scene, sighed and put down his pencil. Though reluctant, he spoke quietly and muttered, "I'll tell you after class."

...

"Skylar?" I spoke aloud, looking around frantically in an attempt to find my friend. Where did she go? She had been right next to me a second ago... "Skylar!?" I called out louder, pausing only when I saw some passerbys look at me strangely. I tensed, stomach twisting uncomfortably at the thought that something could have happened.

We had been walking, a good half hour having passed since our conversation about her dad, and I had zoned out only for a moment... but when I let go and tuned back into the real world she was gone. Just... gone. Not even dust was left in her wake.

N-No... _She wasn't grabbed, was she!?_ Skylar wasn't kidnapped, right? She... She just walked off? Where did she go!? No, no, no, no, no, no, NO! "S-Skylar!?" Do I stay put, do I go look for her; what do I do!? What if she comes back and I'm not here? What if she was kidnapped and the longer I stay here fussing about it the farther away they get unless I go after them? _WHAT DO I DO!?_

B-Breathe. Breathe. I-It's okay. It's okay. J-Just... Just...

So many eyes. So many eyes are looking at me right now. I-I can't... I'm scared. Skylar, I'm scared. Where are you? I-If she was grabbed... th-then...

Aidou's face flashed through my mind and I flinched, stepping back and almost crashing into someone who walked by. I stammered out an apology, heart hammering loudly inside of my chest.

...

" _What_ did you do!?" Eliza growled, glaring up at the blond who flinched. He tried to hide behind Ichijou, but the tall man just leaned to the side, blinking innocently. Even he knew better than to get on the bad side of an angry female, and being how Eliza was on the verge of being his friend... he _really_ didn't want to make her mad. "Who the hell said you could go and attack her!? Isn't that against the rules of the Academy!?" She looked at Ichijou for confirmation, who nodded.

Aidou just huffed and turned his head away, a bead of sweat trailing down the side of his face. "I was hungry... and annoyed."

"Annoyed with _what!?_ " Eliza was this close to hitting him in the face. "Irene is _not_ someone you can go up and bite whenever you please! Her blood is _off limits_ and if you ever try anything _again_ -no! No, fuck that, if you even _eye_ her wrongly then _so help me I will rip out those canines you call fangs and-_ " Aidou grew paler and paler, and Eliza's threats became darker and darker-not stopping until a slightly unnerved Ichijou moved over and clamped a hand over her mouth, trying to get her to stop.

"I-I think that's enough of that, Riza-Chan. I can assure you, I have thoroughly lectured Aidou on this subject."

"Why didn't you report him!?"

"Ah, that is-"

"The stupid human asked him not to." Eliza and Ichijou both paused when Aidou spoke up, the blond refusing to look at either of them. His expression resembled that of a pouting child who had been scolded for stealing a cookie. Eliza raised an eyebrow at him. "She didn't see my eyes glow, she didn't see my fangs; she hit me twice, claimed I was trying to... to..." He brought a hand up to his face, his expression twisting into a disturbed look as he flusteredly cried out, "To do _that_ to her a-and she went and told Ichijou to let me go!" He ran his hands through his hair, frustrated and confused. "I don't understand Humans!"

Eliza was stunned. Aidou had tried to bite her and Irene... _hit_ him? Not once but _twice_? W-Was this really Irene they were talking about? She's a pacifist! "Why didn't you just report him anyway?" She looked at Ichijou, ignoring Aidou who promptly glared at her for her comment.

"Why the hell do you have such a problem with-"

"Because Irene-Chan is kind," Ichijou answered, smiling softly. Eliza blinked, only to recall all the times she had lectured Irene for holding doors open for crowds of people who'd never do the same for her. They'd stand there for five minutes arguing before Irene reluctantly agreed to go in before her and stop holding the door. "I want to respect her wishes, even if I don't exactly agree with them."

"Hey, Vice Dorm Head, Foreigner..." Aidou grumbled, looking up at him with a sour expression. "Why are you two talking like you _want_ me in trouble? I'm still in the room." Ichijou's smile was just blinding at this point, only causing Aidou to grow more annoyed. "Stop ignoring me, damn it! _Ichijou-!_ " Ichijou dropped his smile, frowning at Aidou as he continued to shout at him, and slumped his shoulders.

Seeing a specific person out of the corner of his eye Ichijou brightened and then lunged, releasing Eliza and tackling the person he saw as he cried out, "Wah~! Kaname, Kaname; R-Riza-Chan and I were just talking, but Aidou's being so mean to us~! I'm just respecting someone's wishes and he's getting so mad at me about it; I don't know what to do!"

Eliza watched in shock as the almighty Pureblood reached a hand up and placed it on the blond's head, petting his hair, and just _looked_ at Aidou. He just looked at him, and Aidou looked ready to cry. "L-Lord Kaname," He choked out, "I... I..."

"Aidou..." The aristocrat squeaked and stood up straight, shivers running down his spine.

"Y-Yes, Lord Kaname?"

"Apologize to Takuma."

It was as if an arrow had struck Aidou in the chest. Ichijou pouted, hugging Kaname tighter, and sniffled as the tears stung the corners of his eyes. Aidou wanted nothing more than to turn the bubbly, non-Vampire-like blond into an icecube, but Kaname's words had Aidou bowing to Ichijou and forcing out a reluctant, "M-My sincerest apologies, Vice Dorm Head. Please forgive me."

"..." Ichijou stared at him, resting his chin on Kaname's shoulder, not really believing his apology to be sincere, before he sighed and partially pulled away from his friend. "Fine~ But only because I know how hard it was for you to say that. Oh! Kaname! That's right, I almost forgot-" Arms loosely around his waist Ichijou looked at Kaname with a smile. "I promised Shiki I'd go out into town after he got off work. Will you be alright by yourself, Kaname?"

"I'm not completely helpless, Takuma," He said quietly, eyes almost amused. "I can go one night without you."

"Wonderful!" He pulled away completely and waved at Aidou and Eliza, who were just stunned at the whole scene. "Well, I'll see you two tomorrow! Goodnight!" Ichijou bid them goodbye, heading out of the building to go the Moon Dorms to get changed. Meanwhile, Eliza cast Aidou another glare and he huffed, crossing his arms and returning the look.

"What's with you?"

It didn't take long for Ichijou to go out into town and find Shiki; he was actually quite easy to find and it helped that his scent was one he easily recognized. Shiki had a nice scent-it wasn't overpowering like most, nor too terribly sweet. It was almost a timid smell-soft and welcoming, and calm like that of chamomile tea.

"Shiki~ How was work?"

"...Fine..."

"Is everything okay? You look down."

"...I'm hungry." He almost didn't answer, but seeing Ichijou's concerned gaze the redhead lowered his gaze and reluctantly answered. "I gave the rest of my pocky to Rima..."

"Eh? Hm... Oh! I know!" Ichijou beamed, "Some girls from the Day Class told me about this new cafe that opened up a few days ago and that the food is really good; perhaps we should go try it out?" They were just walking around town, no real goal in sight as of yet except some casual window shopping. "Their tea is supposed to be exceptional, not to mention the pastries. I've been meaning to try it out for a while now."

A familiar floral scent Ichijou's nose, sweet yet mild, and quite pleasant to the senses. It gave off an air of kindness, it being so warm and friendly. It was like a soothing cup of lavender tea on a stressful day. Yet, for some reason, the normally peaceful scent was accompanied by the rich rush of panic and fear.

 _That scent..._ He stopped walking, confusing Shiki, and Ichijou turned his head in the direction the smell was coming from. Eyes widening, Ichijou looked on in surprise at the petite brunette that was looking around frightfully, hands curled up to her chest and arms pressed to her sides as if she were scared of bumping into anyone. She wore a gray sweater dress, sleeves long enough to cover her fingers, and black leggings. Her brown eyes were filled with tears, her face puffy and red from crying. 

...

"Irene-Chan~!" A familiar voice called cheerfully. I stopped walking, freezing in place at the sound. Slowly, almost as if I were in a trance, I turned my head. Across the street, dressed in a pink button-up with a tan vest on top, decorated with pink and blue diamonds, finished with a pair of white pants was Ichijou Takuma. He waved excitedly, green eyes bright. Some people eyed him strangely, but he didn't seem to care.

Beside him was the... the guy who "tried" to defend me. To convince A-Aidou to... to stop...

I choked on the lump forming in my throat, squeezing my burning eyes shut tightly as I recalled that awful memory. _I-I'm okay. I'm okay._ I felt a wave of relief wash over me though, seeing Ichijou over there. He was always a nice presence, and without any of the fangirls around I didn't have to fear being mauled. I started to step forward, ready to walk over, but hesitated and looked around tentatively. W-Was it okay to talk to them? A-After what happened a-and with how much I've been avoiding Ichijou...

I was snapped out of my thoughts when I felt a pair of arms wrap around me, pulling me into a chest and pressing my face into a shoulder. Warmth hit me so randomly I found myself unable to breathe and unable to react, only having enough control to look up at Ichijou with wide eyes when he pulled away, hands on my shoulders. The new contact had me in shock.

"It's so good to see you outside of school!" Ichijou exclaimed with a smile. He then frowned, but before I could open my mouth or even _think_ of speaking he knit his eyebrows together and tilted his head, asking, "What's wrong? Ah-where's Rosemary-San? Aren't you two always together?"

I debated answering, slowly regain control of my body, and ended up choking on any and all words that tried to form. Ichijou grew more worried by the second, concern clouding his eyes like the light of day. Any attempt I made at trying to remain calm shattered completely, tears welling up in my eyes uncontrollably and falling, strangled hiccups forcing their way out as my body began to tremble.

He looked startled for a moment, but soon a serious look blossomed on his face and his eyes softened. "Irene-Chan... what's wrong? Please, speak up. I can't help you if I don't know what's troubling you..."

My eyes burned so bad-it was like someone had poured acid on them. No matter how tightly I squeezed them shut or rubbed at them, foolishly trying to wipe away the unstoppable tears like a child, they just would not stop burning. The sob bubbled up in the back of my throat, my chest constricting and aching so painfully one would have thought I'd taken a knife to my heart. "S-Sky-Sky-" I hiccuped, almost knocking my glasses off my face as I tried to stop the tears with my hands, "Skylar's _gone!_ " I wailed.

He blinked, green eyes wide. "Eh? What do you mean "gone"? She was with you?" He was leaning down so he was closer to my height-my pitiful five foot two.

"W-We-We w-were trying to find a-a store a-and she just _vanished!_ " I forced out, choking on the words. "I-I can't-I can't f-find her _anywhere_ a-and I-I don't-" Oh god. Oh god. No, no, no, no, no. She's okay. She's okay. Sh-She has to be... "W-What if s-something happened to her!?"

Ichijou pushed my hands away, instead using his own to grab at my face and force me to look at him. _He thinks I'm stupid, doesn't he?_ That I'm an idiot for thinking something bad happened. He's probably ridiculing me right now, b-but-! "Irene-Chan, open your eyes. Look at me." Horrible thoughts of all kinds running through my head I reluctantly did as told, hiccuping and sniffling painfully as my eyes met his. My breathing hitched. "We'll find her," He promised, a warm smile on his face. "Rosemary-San is a clever, strong girl. I doubt anything has happened to her. In all honesty, I'm more worried about you."

Wh-What?

My eyes closed from reflex as his cool fingers brushed against my cheek, wiping at the burning tears falling down my face. He explained, "After what happened... aren't you scared to be alone? You're always getting hurt, Irene-Chan." A-After what... _Aidou._ Horror even worse than before struck, my fear for her wellbeing growing and growing like a parasite. My heart raced so fast I almost thought it was going to stop. "Irene-Chan?"

We need to find her. _Now._ O-Or else... Or else she'll...

I tried to run, but Ichijou shot out an arm and stopped me, the limb catching and wrapping around my stomach and pulling me back. I gasped, temporarily winded, before trying to push myself out of his hold. "L-Let go!" I need to find her! I need to find her _now!_ B-Before... Before Aidou o-or... or someone else...

"You're not thinking rationally!" I froze, his words hitting me at full force. No matter how frantic I ever became, I always managed to retain some small amount of self-control. This moment was proof of that, as it was what caused me to stop in my struggling and stare into nothing, listening to the blond as he spoke instead of searching desperately for my best friend. "Running around blindly will do you no good, Irene-Chan. You have to remain calm in situations like these, otherwise you'll get yourself into danger. Then you wouldn't be helping anyone, right?"

...I hated to admit it, but Ichijou had a point. Running around like crazy _wouldn't_ help me find Skylar. With my luck I'd probably just get lost and we'd end up being locked out of the Academy. Slowly, I stood up, fingers gripping onto the sleeve covering Ichijou's arm. I sniffled, deep in thought, before exhaling as I forced myself to relax. I looked up at Ichijou for a moment, the male staring down worriedly at me, before I lowered my head.

"I'm certain that Rosemary-San is well," Ichijou continued, voice softer than it was a moment ago. He brought a hand up to the side of my head, a gesture that while should have been unwelcomed ended up quite comforting. "She _will_ come back to you. In the meantime, why don't you come with Shiki and I? We're bound to run into her soon, don't you think?"

Hope rising in the depths of the abyss of my wavering heart I lifted my head and looked at Ichijou with wide eyes, wondering if it was really alright and if he was just joking around. "I-I'm allowed to...?"

"Allowed?" He repeated, echoing my partially-spoken question in confusion. "What do you mean "allowed"? Irene-Chan, you don't have to ask for permission; I'm inviting you." O-Oh... right. I swallowed thickly, shifting awkwardly for a moment before pausing when I realized I was still holding onto his arm. I released it like fire, stumbling and then yanking my head away from the hand that was resting on it. I was already awkward around guys, but this was getting... weird. E-Even if Ichijou was nice. "Eh?"

"S-Sorry." I rubbed at my face one last time, regaining my bearings, and sniffled. "I-I'm sorry-" My voice cracked and I cut myself off, taking another deep breath to calm down. Ichijou shook his head.

"There's no need to apologize. Right, Shiki?" I blinked dumbly, having not noticed the redhead standing there once I had begun to cry. I completely forgotten he existed... Oops. Sorry, Shiki. Ichijou looked at the teen, expecting an answer, and in response Shiki just gave a small shrug, hands in the pockets of his oversized grey jacket. "See? Perfectly alright! Speaking of-how hungry are you, Irene-Chan?"

"H-Huh?"

...

The hell is it? Skylar scowled, holding onto the gun she had had tucked into her right boot. The whole reason she had went out into town today was to find the stupid Level-E that's been driving up trouble within the town. A wretched beast like that...

Skylar will admit the way she chose to hunt the Level-E wasn't a good way, using her injured friend as bait to tempt out the horrendous creature, but it was fast and efficient. It didn't take too long for the Level-E to near, but when it saw Skylar and felt her presence it bolted quickly. She had to run off on Irene in order to chase after it, but now she was having trouble locating the beast.

That was when she felt it. Fast as lightning, Skylar had barely stepped to the side when there was a flash of color beside her-red dancing in the air and something sharp scratching her cheek. She wasted no time in shooting, letting out two bullets before turning and letting out a curse. Narrowing her eyes she broke out into a run, chasing after the creature that hissed and screamed at her, demanding blood and death.

...

"So Rosemary-San woke you up and asked you to go into town with her?" Ichijou asked, getting clarification on everything. I nodded awkwardly, clinging onto the sleeve of his arm as I followed him and Shiki around the town. I hadn't originally began clinging onto him like this, but after nearly bumping into multiple I found myself hovering beside him like an awkward shadow. Strangely enough, he didn't seem to mind. "Hm... well, there's no reason to be scared. I'm certain she's alright and well. In the meantime, let's go get something to eat. I can hear Shiki's stomach grumbling all the way from over here."

"...My stomach isn't as loud as yours, Ichijou-San..."

Ichijou stopped laughing, looking at his friend in surprise, before grinning. "Well, I guess that just means I'm hungrier. What about you, Irene-Chan?" I blinked, looking down as I went deep into thought as I tried to figure out how hungry I was. I _did_ feel a bit nauseous, but that could probably just be from crying and running around so much...

I gave an uncomfortable shrug, not entirely sure how to answer or even if I should. I had no money on me, so even if we did stop somewhere it's not like I could pay for anything...

Suddenly his face was in front of me, the blond having leaned down to look at me. His eyes were wide with curiosity and concern. "You've been looking rather pale all day... hmm. Are you sure you're feeling better, Irene-Chan? I think you should eat something, even if it's small. Come on, I think the cafe is this way." He started leading me and Shiki down another direction, the redhead so silent I had to keep reminding myself he was there, and we only came to a stop when a loud noise echoed about-akin to that of a firework and sounding awfully like that weapon Skylar had fired off the other day.

The second it went off I shrieked, jumping almost five feet in the air as my anxiety shot upwards like crazy, a fresh wave of tears falling down like a stream as I clung onto Ichijou's sleeve and buried my face in his arm out of reflex. The blond looked at me in surprise for a moment, eyes softening briefly, before his gaze turned grim as he looked up at the sky in the direction the gunshot had come from. "Someone is busy..."

"Rosemary-San must be hunting right now," Shiki bluntly commented, looking the direction Ichijou was before closing his eyes. They opened and he turned his head lazily in his friend's direction. "I think we should hurry to the cafe, Ichijou-San, otherwise things may go bad..." His gaze flickered over to me. I blinked, knitting my eyebrows together at his stare, but Shiki said nothing else and simply turned away, walking on ahead of us.

...

Skylar let out a string of curses, before coming to an abrupt stop as she now had the Level-E cornered. Narrowing her eyes at the beast she let all emotion slip from her face, nothing but cold hatred in her eyes as she levelled the barrel of the gun to the monster's forehead. "Say goodbye, _Vampire_."

Skylar was unable to stop the feeling of cruel satisfaction, watching the abomination turn into dust. A small part of her felt bad at the last moment, recalling that the Level-E once used to be human and was simply an unfortunate victim of a Pureblood, but even as the last bit of humanity they had left flashed into their eyes as they were met with death did little to keep that feeling within her.

Every time she saw one go crazy, every time she saw a blood thirsty vampire like the one now, she could only think of the one that caused. The one that brought her to where she is now. If it wasn't for that _thing_ , then...

Skylar wouldn't be hunting now.

...

"Ah~ This cake is delicious!" Ichijou cheered, beaming brightly as he ate. "It's so good!" He looked at his friend excitedly, watching as Shiki ate some strange combination of omelette and rice. Well, I suppose it wasn't _that_ strange; it looked quite good. "How's your food, Shiki? Is it good? It's good, isn't it?"

The redhead chewed slowly, leisurely taking his time eating, before swallowing and giving the slightest nod of his head. "Yeah..."

Ichijou looked so gosh darn happy at those words-one would have thought he was a doting mother and Shiki was his spoiled child. "Isn't it!?" He was practically sparkling Ichijou looked so happy. I had to fight against a smile at the scene, awkward and not entirely sure if I was able to join into the conversation or not.

I poked at my food with the chopsticks timidly, attempting to pick up my own piece of omelette. I had tried to tell Ichijou I wasn't hungry, which was just an excuse because I didn't have money, but he wouldn't listen and demanded I'd get something to eat so I wouldn't end up sick. I took a tentative bite, praying to whatever higher being up there I wasn't using some offensive table manners with my horrible chopstick skills.

"What about you, Irene-Chan?" I shrunk underneath his happy gaze, and was more than intimidated by Shiki's own intense and almost empty stare.

"O-Oh, it's-it's good..." Ichijou smiled, before happily taking another bite of his cake. They gave him a spoon for that, which made me wonder what would have happened if I asked for a fork. "Um, th-thank you..." I feel so bad now. Maybe I should have tried harder to refuse...

"Don't worry about it," Was his response, "Ah, this tea really _is_ exceptional! Wasn't it such a great idea to come here? I'm glad you thought of it, Shiki."

"...You were the one who brought it up..."

"Eh? I was?" The blond looked surprised. Ichijou then laughed. "I guess I did. Haha! I really am ditzy, huh?"

"..."

I watched the two nervously, feeling a bit like I was intruding upon them. They seemed close, and thinking about it they probably planned to come here by themselves to spend time together, yet here I was making a fuss of things... _I should finish eating and go look for Skylar again,_ I thought, convinced I was ruining their time here. I was just an unnecessary tag-along after all. I wouldn't even be here if I hadn't run into them.

Now that I had calmed down I found myself feeling apathetic towards the world, more self-deprecative than usual due to the burst of emotion earlier. All I wanted was to find Skylar, but I was unable to search and I knew if I did try I would most likely get into trouble. Ichijou was right on that aspect, but even so...

"-ade you decide to come to Cross Academy?" I blinked, startled, and looked at them in confusion. Did Ichijou say something to me? He did, apparently, because he was looking at me expectantly with a spoon held up to his mouth. "Did you have an interest in Japanese culture perhaps? Or maybe a relative living here?"

O-Oh... um, how did I answer that? I didn't exactly "decide" to come, I was more dragged along. "W-Well, uh... I like mythology." Ah, yes, we can go with that. "A-And yeah, I-I guess the culture. I-I find other countries and stuff interesting. S-Skylar and Eliza told me they were going to be leaving for Japan 'cause they got accepted and I... I got a phonecall from the Headmaster not long after that." I awkwardly took another bite, the delicious food almost like ash in my mouth. "I-I wasn't accepted for my grades or anything like that; I-I'm pretty bad at math and-and science, but... h-he said they told him about me and apparently my English grades got me in? I-I don't..." The more I spoke the more lost I became, understanding even less of the Headmaster than I already did. Why was I accepted? What reason could the Headmaster of such an important and prestigious school have to take in someone like me? "I don't... really know..." My voice got soft, quieting down as I trailed off.

I set my chopsticks down on my plate, staring hopelessly at the food in front of me. Just what's my purpose here?

"He said..." Both Ichijou and Shiki were staring at me now, listening intently to everything I had to say. I didn't like the attention-not in this form, but I suppose I was glad I wasn't entirely ignored anymore. "He said Skylar needed a roommate. I-I'm just... I'm not even supposed to be here." A shadow. A follower. Without realizing I began to tug and pull at the hems of my sleeves, biting my bottom lip as my eyes started to sting again. I was just baggage, not matter which way you looked at it. "He's probably going to send me back to America once they get another student."

I gave a laugh, finally allowing myself to look at the two Night Students I was talking to. Ichijou's face was serious, Shiki's was as blank as ever and just as hard to read. Surprisingly enough, it was the redhead who spoke. "Headmaster Cross... does things with reason..." Ichijou sat up and turned, eying Shiki curiously. "He won't send you back... after going through the trouble of bringing you here. He has something planned for you."

Does he? I certainly hoped so.

"I believe Shiki is right," Ichijou said quietly, palm of his hand resting against his cheek as he cut off a piece of cake with his spoon. Ichijou's eyes were thoughtful. "Headmaster Cross is... while he is a bit strange and... eccentric, he does think about these kinds of things. If he brought you here to Cross Academy, then he must have a reason for it. And because of that, I feel that you should not fret over it too much. Everything will be explained in the end, won't it?" He smiled, all traces of his somber look gone. "So until then, you should just enjoy your time here like we do."

I thought about his words, thinking deeply about it, before giving a hesitant nod. I supposed they were right. There really _wasn't_ a reason for me to freak out about it; I was here, not there, so I should just focus on what's happening. I can worry about the future later.

 _But that's easy for them to say..._ I sighed, picking up the chopsticks and struggling to tear off a piece of omelette. _I can't ever NOT worry about something._

I chewed slowly, sluggishly finishing off my food. Ichijou ordered some more tea, getting some biscuits, and gave a muffin to Senri. Ichijou settled for a cupcake himself, and due to my lack of a sweet tooth I almost refused when he tried to give one to me. Unfortunately, the excitable look he had on his face made me decide not to do so, and I was about ready to grab it when a caramel colored hand snatched it out of Ichijou's hold. Both of us blinked, startled, and looked up.

It was Shiki who spoke, stating the obvious as he went, "Oh... Disciplinary Committee Rosemary-San is here now..."

Skylar munched on the cupcake, dried blood on the side of her face from a cut running across it, and licked the icing off of her fingers as she finished it. "Got any more?" She asked without remorse or shame, grinning at Ichijou before looking at me. I could barely even see-my vision was so blurry. Skylar, seeing my face void of almost any emotion, paused. "I-Irene? A-Are you okay? Wh-Why do you look so serious? It's... It's scary. Irene?" She started to look very frightened as I stood, biting the inside of my cheek, before the tears welled up and fell, a wail escaping as I lunged and tackled her.

"I-I-I was so scared~! Don't run off on me like that, you idiot!"

Skylar laughed, hugging me back, and pet me on the head as she said, "There, there. It's okay!" I quickly pulled away, reaching a hand up to her face where she was cut.

"What happened!?"

"Huh? Oh. I fell into a bush." Another laugh. I huffed and pulled away, crossing my arms as I scowled at her, pouting. She just grabbed me, pulling me into a hug as she rubbed her face against mine. "You're such a fragile little flower~ Aww~! Thank you for looking after her, Upperclassman Ichijou, Underclassman Shiki."

Ah... "Shiki's younger than us?" I blinked dumbly, leaning away slightly so I could wipe at my eyes, sniffling. I stared at the redhead in confusion, having not expected that. "How old are you? Sixteen? Fifteen?"

"...Sixteen..."

Ichijou piped in helpfully with a smile, "I'm almost eighteen! My birthday's in about two months." My mouth opened in shock, before I clapped my hands together excitedly.

"We're the same age! Skylar, Skylar, all three of us are the same age!" I pointed at Shiki, waving my arm excitedly, before gasping and covering my mouth with my hands as I stared at Ichijou. "No wonder you're so tall... that makes sense." The blond just chuckled. "Wait, no, hold on, is pointing rude here? Oh god, was I being rude!?" I started to freak, but Skylar just placed a hand on my head and tilted it back.

"Calm down~ Jeez. They're not mad about it, so clearly not."

Ichijou just waved it off with a smile, amused. "It's quite alright. I understand the way things are done in America are quite different compared to here, so I won't take offense to it. I know Irene-Chan means no harm, and I'm certain Shiki feels the same." W-What? How?

I was about ready to ask what he meant, when a nearby waitress glared at us for being loud. I shut my mouth instantly, sheepish and humiliated, and promptly hid my face in Skylar's shoulder. We had to leave not long after, Shiki pointing out that it was almost time for the school gates to lock. It was quite dark out, but Ichijou and Shiki seemed to have memorized the way and led us back. Ichijou talked all the while, Skylar piping in every now and then, and I only started talking once certain mangas were brought up.

We ended up ranting about that, before getting onto the topic of anime and pestering Ichijou for having not watched any despite having read so many mangas. He laughed sheepishly, promising he'd would try and do so, before her and Shiki had to bid us goodbye as we split up to head to our opposite Dorms. 


	7. A Scholarly Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Skylar gets nightmares and Irene gets a tutor.

Skylar awoke with a start. Sweat beaded down the sides of her face, goosebumps running along her skin from the nightmare-no... _memory_... she had just awoken from. The face of the demon ran through her mind, sketched together in red. Breathing heavily as she sat up Skylar glanced at the clock, 11:29 flashing across the screen.

Deciding it would be best to go out and get some fresh air she kicked the blankets off her legs and sat up, getting off the bed and starting to head towards the window between her and Irene's bed. At the thought of the sleeping brunette Skylar cast a quick glance at her, watching her sleep soundly, before lifting the window up and climbing out, jumping down the building and latching onto multiple trees as she made her way down. _I'll be back soon,_ she mentally promised as she guided herself down to the ground.

Walking through the dark had always been something that calmed Skyler's nerves, regardless of what had happened that night. It helped to clear her mind, to forget what had happened if only temporarily. Skylar wasn't entirely sure _how_ long she had walked about, as while she was supposed to be patrolling for students the events from earlier had worn her out to the point where she decided to just ditch her duties for that night.

She let out a yawn, mind a bit hazy from lack of sleep, and paused when she found herself in an unfamiliar setting. Skylar had never been near the stables, the equestrian class being something for the first years, but her love of horses was what had compelled her to enter. What she saw surprised her, as the white horse resting inside reminded her very much of her own.

Cautiously she approached, taking careful steps towards the creature who eyed her calmly. "Hey girl," She called out softly, reaching a hand out to pet it. The animal's eyes were quite tranquil, calm and placid. Perhaps it was strange, but Skylar always felt at peace in this kind of atmosphere. It was somewhere she could feel like herself without worry or fear. "Do you ever feel lonely?"

Skylar wished she could tell her friends, but despite how much she loved them it was just too difficult. She couldn't even tell Eliza despite the fact that she knew she was a Hunter. Not only was it a painful memory, but Skylar's pride wouldn't let her. How could she admit she was defenseless to protect the person she cared about? Her eyes stung a little, but Skylar held the tears back. There'd be no point in crying; tears wouldn't bring him back.

Skylar suddenly stiffened, feeling the presence of someone unwanted. The presence of a Vampire. It wasn't nearly as powerful as pureblood, and definitely wasn't as pungent as an Aristocrat, but weaker... like that of a-

Within moments Skylar had pulled out her gun, but as she shot the bullet a hand grabbed her wrist and changed the direction the projectile went, the anti-vampire gun just barely missing the male prefect. His lilac eyes glared down at her, flashing dangerously. "What are you doing out this late without your prefect badge?" His deep voice echoed throughout the stables, low and almost threatening.

Skylar thought about antagonizing him, mocking him and calling him "Vampire" even though it was fairly obvious he had yet to fall down to the madman state of a Level-E. He reeked of humans, but there was no blood on him or in his scent.

"You hunters..." He continued, tightening his hold on her wrist as he narrowed his eyes at her. "Tell me, what's your purpose here in the academy? Were you sent from the association to "keep an eye on" me and the Night Class? Why are you... _friends_... with that female Vampire? Is she one of the Association's slaves?"

From behind them the horse Skylar had been petting neighed irritably, stomping its hooves on the ground and whinnying at them. Zero never let his guard down, but did release Skylar and back away. The girl rubbed at her reddening wrist before putting her gun back into her bootstrap. "To answer your question; no, I'm not here to keep an eye on you or any of the other Vampires. I'm here at Cross Academy because I applied and got a Scholarship-nothing more, nothing less. Eliza and I have absolutely nothing to do with the Hunter Association."

A hint of confusion shined in his eyes, the male frowning deeply at her response. Skylar turned away from him, reaching out to calm the antsy horse down.

Hearing the silence Skylar thought for a moment before speaking, not once looking at Zero, "Do you ever have nightmares?" Zero paused, looking at her in a mixture of surprise and curiosity. She felt a bit hesitant to ask, or even speak about it, but she needed to get some of the weight off of her chest. "I do all the time."

"...About what?" Not giving an answer Skylar simply shrugged, scratching the horse lightly on the muzzle. "What's it to you if I have nightmares, anyway?"

"I was just curious," She said, closing her eyes slightly as she looked down. "My nightmares are like this constant reminder- making me recall over and over again about why I decided to become a Hunter in the first place. Say, Zero-"

"Kiryuu." He corrected, giving her a glare. Skylar ignored him.

"What made you decide to become a Hunter even though you're clearly a Vampire? Or were you a Hunter before you changed?"

There was the clinking of chains and the click of a gun, and Skylar simply closed her eyes and sighed.

"You know as well as I do that won't work on me. I don't even know why you bothered pulling it out-put the gun away."

"What happened to me is of no concern to you," He growled. "Just who the hell are you?"

"Exactly who said I was." There was another silence, and she could hear Zero's angry footsteps as he started to head out of the stables. "Hey, Kiryuu-San!" He paused, back turned to her, and she looked at him briefly before going back to grooming the horse. "If I tell you about me, will you tell me about you?" Skylar seriously wanted to know what business someone on the verge of a Level-E had to do with being a Hunter. "You're a Vampire, but you're a Hunter, and for some reason the Headmaster has you in the Day Class. Just what happened to you?"

Neither looked at the other, the atmosphere growing heavy and almost suffocating. "...Can't you figure it out?" Maybe, but Skylar was tired. She wanted him to tell her. "Born into a family of hunters, adopted... turning into this _beast_." He curled his hands into fists, grounding his teeth together. "Does it really even need saying?" His voice was low and quiet, shaking just a little.

"...No." His family must have been killed by the Pureblood that turned him, and Kaien took him in and adopted him. "I guess I can tell you then... I lost somebody to a Vampire, too." Zero froze. He turned his head to look at her, but Skylar was keeping her gaze firmly planted on the animal in front of her. _His_ face flashed through her mind. "And now... the nightmares never stop. But they remind me every night about what I have to do; they remind me to keep protecting what's _important._ To prevent the death of anyone else I care about."

"If you've lost somebody to a Vampire, then why do you let your little human friend near the Night Class? If you want to protect what's important, why do you let those that are important near the danger? Why do you claim to be "friends" with one!?" His voice got louder and louder, increasing with volume as his anger and hatred for Vampires grow. "If you've lost someone to a Vampire, how can you even stand being near them!?"

"Because," She said, lifting her gaze from the horse to meet his. She found herself crossing her arms, a hand over her left forearm- a movement so familiar she almost didn't notice. "Only some are cruel." His eyes widened. "There are some who are good, maybe only a small handful, but those ones aren't so bad. It's the others I want to burn and be rid of." A surge of hate flowed through her, the girl recalling how the blood had splattered against her face-warm and sticky, with a clawed hand sticking out of _his_ back. "If it wasn't for him..." Oh _god_ how she wanted to be rid of every last Vampire on this earth. Sadly, she knew she couldn't as while there are the bad Vampires there are the good, and those are the ones worth having.

There was a long, almost uncomfortable moment of silence. Then Zero spoke, frowning at her. "What about me, then? Do you want to kill me for being a Vampire?"

She gave no answer. She thought about it, she honestly did, and wondered if she would actually have to in the future. He was bitten and judging by the aura and smell he gave off he didn't get to drink his attacker's blood. Zero was going to go mad eventually, especially in a school full of Humans, and the knowledge of that made her recall all the Level-E's she had killed in the past.

Zero was going to end up like them. This man...

No. Why should she even care? It's none of her business; why is she even talking to him? Is it because he's a stranger? Because when they graduate she's most likely never to see him again? She guessed that would make sense. But still...

Skylar didn't particularly like the guy, he was a jerk to both her and Irene, and his hatred towards Eliza was uncalled for even if Skylar could understand where he was coming from, but... she didn't want to see him as a crazed beast. As something that would only kill and kill, with nothing but the hunger for blood driving them. It was hard to imagine, too, looking at Zero now.

Just when would he start to break?

Skylar gave the horse one last good pet before declaring, "Well, I'm going back to bed." She yawned loudly. "I think it's time for me to turn in; goodnight, Kiryuu-San."

...

"Yes, Kaname?" Ichijou asked curiously, walking into the Dorm Head's room. "Aidou told me you wished to speak to me?" He watched the dark brunette flick a playing piece off the chessboard that was on the small table near the window. Ichijou's smile almost wilted at the sight, realizing Kaname had plans, before he took notice of the added two pieces-a black pawn and a rook. Though his face was near to expressionless, Ichijou could tell the Pureblood was irritated. "Is something the matter?"

"...The Headmaster is making rash decisions," He said softly, tilting the white pawn for a moment before letting it drop back into place. Kaname leaned back into his seat, staring at nothing in front of him before turning his head and looking out the window. "I'll be going to talk with him soon; you are to come with me."

Ichijou nodded, bowing his head. "But of course, Kaname." Garnet eyes flickered over to the blond for a moment. "And... if I may be so bold as to ask-what sort of decisions is the Headmaster making that you do not like?" A thought came to him, "Is it the new students?"

The glare that was sent his way told him he was correct. Kaname really did hate people seeing him through, didn't he? Over ten years and he still hates it when Ichijou sees through him.

Suddenly the sound of a bell rang out loudly, signaling the Day Class rushing to their classes. Walking over to the window Ichijou placed a hand over his eyes to block out most of the sun as he pulled the curtain open, wincing a little at the brightness. It was painful to do so, but even so he found his eyes wandering the students, trying to locate a specific person.

Purple hair catching his sight his gaze flickered that way, seeing the familiar brunette dragging her Hunter friend with her as they dashed to class. Ichijou winced when he watched the first girl fall, letting go of the purple-haired girl's hand in the process. Irene wasn't down for long, however, as she quickly picked herself back up and ran, stumbling as she did so with Skylar right behind her. "Ah... Speaking of those girls, it seems like they're terrified of being late." Ichijou brought a hand up to his lips and chuckled. "They're so cute. The rest of the Day class is walking."

"Why the interest in them... Takuma?" Kaname spoke, not looking at him and instead opening a book that was at his side. "You aren't planning on eating them later, are you?"

Ichijou looked appalled at the very thought. "Kaname, no! Of course not! Irene-Chan and Rosemary-San are my friends! Even Shiki has taken a liking to-well," He paused, thinking about it. "He hasn't spoken to Rosemary-San that much, but he does like Irene-Chan. She's a very sweet girl."

"...You and Shiki spoke to them?"

"Mm." Ichijou nodded. "We were going to head to this cafe when we saw Irene-Chan crying by herself. Rosemary-San had left her alone to go hunting, but Irene-Chan didn't know that so she got really worried. We took Irene-Chan under our wing and invited her to the cafe with us. Rosemary-San stole the cupcake I was trying to give her." He pouted, arms crossed, but didn't say anything else on the matter. "Strange enough, they don't seem to be under the effect the other students are. Rosemary-San is understandable, but I'm a little surprised Irene-Chan doesn't idolize us. It makes me feel relieved though." He smiled at Kaname, who pushed the new black pawn forward with his index finger.

It was a simple action, as if he were simply just playing chess by himself, but Ichijou knew Kaname. _What's he planning?_ He wondered, keep his smile on his face despite his thoughts. Kaname leaned forward, propping an elbow up on his knee as he crossed his legs, a palm resting on his cheek. "The human is starting to become entangled..." Releasing a sigh he sat up and stood, not bothering to push his chair in as he walked past Ichijou and to the door.

"W-Wait, Kaname!" Ichijou stammered, surprised by his sudden action. The blond followed after, intent on stopping him. "What do you mean by that? Which human are you talking about!?" Long legs moving quickly he managed to catch up to the Pureblood. "What are you planning on having Irene-Chan and Rosemary-San do?" A squeak escaped his lips and he froze, for the moment the words left his mouth Kaname turned and glared, the painting beside Ichijou's head getting pierced by an invisible force. _H-He really does hate it when I try to see through him..._ He's so short-tempered. "K-Kaname... " He began again, watching the Dorm President walk away. "You... You aren't planning on leaving the Dorm in your pajamas, are you?"

The man stopped walking. He then turned around, heading back to his room. Ichijou chuckled. Kaname was powerful and influential, and as wise as he is old, but sometimes he could be like a small child that needed looking after.

...

"I don't care!" I grumbled, "You scared the crap out of me this morning! You can't just go and jump in-and-out of windows whenever you want." Skylar simply laughed, only to soon cough as she choked on the cookie she was eating. I freaked, not entirely sure what I should do, and hovered my hands over her frantically until she recovered. "A-Are you okay!?"

"Y-Yeah," She wheezed. She cleared her throat, before chugging down some juice. "Ow. I'm dying, Irene, I swear."

"No, you're not." I scowled. I was about to make a comment about how she wasn't allowed to die before I do, when a familiar voice cried out.

"Ren-Chan! Sky-Chan! It's so good to see you!" We turned our heads to see the tiny brunette girl from before running our way. Yuuki waved, Yori at her side, and they made their way over. Yori held a tray full of food, whereas Yuuki had only a single muffin in her hand. I was confused when I saw that; didn't Yuuki eat breakfast with the chairman and Zero? Why was she here? "How are things for you at the Academy so far? I'm so sorry I couldn't talk to you earlier-the Headmaster has been getting crazy with the town errands." She slumped her shoulders, looking utterly exhausted. I wondered if she got any sleep; I know for a fact Skylar hasn't.

"What the heck does he have you do?" I asked, recalling the ridiculous Chairman and the way he behaved. But then again, seeing as they were a family, he probably just had her get some normal stuff like food or toiletries.

Yuuki straightened, laughing sheepishly, and scratched the side of her head. "O-Oh, nothing weird, I promise. He just really likes cooking." So I was right. Okay. "Um, Sky-Chan, I have a question." Skylar paused in her eating, having just finished her cookie and snatched an innocent person's sandwich, "Did you and Zero fight? He wouldn't say much, but he mentioned bumping into you last night during patrol and he's been even quieter than normal..."

"I wouldn't necessarily call that a "fight"," She said. "We just talked."

"O-Oh... " Yuuki looked a bit put down by her answer. "I-I see... well, th-thank you anyway."

"No problem," She replied, giving the girl a quick smile before biting into her sandwich. I knit my eyebrows together in confusion, wondering what exactly happened between Skylar and Zero and what their conversation was about. I thought about asking, but decided not to. It wasn't any of my business and if it was something Skylar wanted to talk to me about, she would tell me. In the meantime however, I'm going to just eat my ham sandwich. Man, I missed cereal.

...

" _Ehhhhhh!?_ " Kaien practically shrieked at what he heard. "How are they being a bother!? Taylor-San and Rosemary-San are friends with the Night Class, aren't they?"

"They are causing a disruption," Kaname responded calmly, having expecting such a reaction. "The Hunter is creating unease and the Human girl will become a major problem if she discovers the Night Class' secret. I suggest we erase Terrier-San's memory of any and all interaction she has had with the Night Class students."

"B-But-!"

"Kaname!" Ichijou protested, "You can't be serious! Irene-Chan did nothing wrong; she doesn't even suspect anything!" He spoke up against him, faltering only slightly when he saw the look Kaname gave him. "She's... She's my friend, Kaname. I-" An idea hit him, remembering an earlier conversation he'd had with the girl. "I even promised to tutor her! She and Rosemary-San are not a bother; I told you this already. Irene-Chan is mine and Shiki's friend, and with Rosemary-San around the Night Class stays in check. Aidou's too scared of being shot to try anything now," He said, hoping that would work to dissuade him. Ichijou knew Kaname had learned of Aidou's attack on Irene, but he also knew that Irene didn't know that Aidou was actually trying to bite her. Her obliviousness was both a blessing and a curse.

Kaname and Ichijou stared each other down for a good moment, Kaien's sniffles barely heard in the background, and after a certain amount of time Kaname closed his eyes and turned his head. "You can't tutor a Day Class student, Takuma."

"Yes, you can~!" Kaien interrupted, practically singing as he choked on his joyous tears. "D-Don't you see, Kaname!? It's all coming together! W-With Taylor-San befriending the Night Class students they can come to learn about Humans, and accept them! T-Takuma-Kun, you good boy! Waaaah~!" He shot up out of his chair, climbing onto the desk, and lunged. Ichijou yelped when Kaien tackled him, but didn't push him off. He just gave a small, awkward laugh and hugged him back. "You understand everything perfectly, don't you!? Unlike big meanie Kaname-Kun over there! He wants to harm my precious, cute little student by taking away her memory! We won't let that happen, now will we!?" Kaien huffed and sent Kaname a sour look, the Pureblood pressing a hand against his head in exasperation and annoyance.

"N-No..." While Ichijou was a touchy-feely person, he was beginning to get uncomfortable with the Chairman's affection. He kept the smile on his face however, refusing to lower it. "Oh... Chairman, you said I had permission to tutor her?"

Kaien finally pulled away, though kept his hands on Ichijou's shoulder. "Of course!" He was smiling so happily, his grin reached from ear-to-ear. "Ah, but we'll have to fit in a good time schedule... oh boy. With you being Night Class and her Day Class..." He pulled away, scratching his chin, before beaming and holding a finger up. "I'll call up Taylor-San so we can all speak about it! This is absolutely wonderful!" He squealed, clapping his hands together excitedly. He then paused, seeing the dark aura surrounding a certain Dorm President. "Ah... Kaname-Kun is mad."

...

"I don't..." I'm sorry, but _what?_ I don't get this at all. I've retried the problem four times now and I'm _still_ getting it wrong? I looked at the sleeping Skylar beside me, the girl having been passed out for the entire class period. Jeez... she really doesn't get any sleep at all, does she? I cast an anxious glance at the clock, waiting for the class period to end. _Just six more, Irene... you can survive this._ Maybe... oh god. Hold on, what did the teacher say? _Uhh..._

Next thing I knew a student raised their hand, speaking in Japanese. I was unable to put together what they were saying, my brain having short-circuited from math-ing too hard. My head was throbbing from staring at so much kanji and numbers, and I was seriously debating whether or not to take the Headmaster up on his idea of just giving us homework in English.

 _Okay, let's try this again... I can do Quadratic Equations- -(b) plus/minus the square root of ((b) squared minus 4(a)(c)), divided by 2(a)... which would be..._ After scratching and scribbling with my pencil a few times I gave up, tempted to throw my calculator across the room as I face-planted into the desk. _Why is this so hard all of a sudden...?_ Is it because of the kanji? I don't think I'm missing any steps. I'm doing it all correctly, so how come-oh. That's why. Redoing it again after I saw my mistake I managed to correct it, getting a normal integer instead of a decimal. _Yes! Thank god!_

I slumped back into my seat, tempted to pass out like Skylar was. My brain hurt.

A ringing of a telephone snapped me out of my exhaustion, as it had scared me so bad I jolted and banged my knee off the bottom of my desk. I cried out loudly, Skylar waking up with a start, and some heads turned in our direction at the sound. The teacher ignored us and picked up the phone, going, "Hello, hello? Yes..." He made some humming sounds before hanging up and calling out with an annoyed look, "Terrier Irene! The Chairman wishes to see you in the Office!"

...Hah?

I looked at Skylar, who shrugged, and after a moment's decision I tentatively grabbed my notebook and pencil, stuffing my homework into my textbook and putting them into my desk. _I'm not in trouble, am I?_ Oh god, what did I do wrong? Was it because he found a new student to replace me? _I'm going back to America, aren't I?_ The thought terrified me, though I couldn't place why. I actually rather liked it here; I kinda made friends, I think, if I was able to count Ichijou as one, and I had just gotten used to living with Skylar in the Dorm. I've finally accustomed to living here a-and now...

My thoughts wouldn't stop racing as I made my way down the stairs, the world moving anguishly slow as I left the classroom. My breathing started to become irregular, my heart pounding so loud I thought it was going to burst out of my chest from fear.

I didn't want to go. I want to stay. Even though I missed my family-my parents and my siblings, I really liked it here. I guess I could say it's the most interesting thing that's happened to me in my life. Sure, the bullies were bolder and more violent, but the classrooms were quieter and the people were overall nicer. I had Skylar and Eliza, not to mention Upperclassman Ichijou and the adorable Yuuki. It... It was nice. They were nice.

A-And I... I don't want...

My hand froze in front of the door, my notebook tucked tightly to my side. If I opened this door now, did that mean everything was over? Was I going to go back home?

But wait... what did Shiki say? That I was "brought here for a reason"? That the Headmaster might not send me home after going through all the trouble of bringing me here? If that's the case th-then why...? Why am I being called up to the Office!?

I... I guess I have to find out. I squeezed my eyes shut with a flinch, pushing the door open and slowly opening my eyes to peer in. They widened. Inside wasn't just Kaien Cross, but Ichijou and... what was his name? Kaname? The Dorm President, I remember that much. "U-Upperclassman Ichijou?"

He beamed, waving at me, while the Night Dorm President just looked at me with a frown. "We have good news, Irene-Chan!"

"G... Good news?" Did that mean I _wasn't_ going to kicked out, or did that mean I was? What's his point of view on all this? "Wh-What's going on?" I looked back-and-forth from him, his friend, and the Headmaster who was grinning from behind his desk. "D-Did I do something?" Both Kaien and Ichijou looked surprised.

"What, no! Of course not; why would even think that?" Ichijou asked, smile faltering. He looked concerned. "You-Right. I suppose I should let Headmaster Cross explain." He backed up, gesturing with his hand towards Kaien. I looked at the sandy-blond adult, greatly wishing for an explanation.

"Well, Takuma-Kun gave me a _very_ interesting piece of knowledge," He began, confusing me further until I remembered Ichijou saying that "Takuma" was his first name. I decided it was a pretty name. "And he told me that he promised you that he would tutor you!" Wait... what? Since when? When did he promise me that? And I don't need a-ah, okay, fine. Maybe I do need a tutor. But he never promised me that!

I turned my head and stared at Ichijou with a blank face, blinking multiple times at him to express how lost I felt at that moment. "You did?"

The alarm that flashed across his face at that moment was something I would remember, nothing but pure _panic_ in those green eyes of his as the man next to him started to turn his head in his direction. I yelped when a body suddenly crashed into mine, Ichijou having tackled me and wrapped his arms around my shoulders. "I did! Don't you remember? We were at the cafe with Shiki and you mentioned how you were horrible at math and science! I promised we'd help you!" He pulled away slightly, his smile clearly forced this time as the emotion was resembling that of a plea-like he was begging me to agree with him. He was leaning down so he matched my height, something I wondered if it was painful for someone as tall as him to do. His hands were cupping my face, forcefully making me look at him. "Right?"

Intimidated by the close proximity I resisted the intense urge to lean my head back, stammering, "R-Right. S-Sorry; I-I forget things a lot." Why is he acting so weird and _why the heck is he so close!?_ I bit the inside of the corner of my mouth to prevent my lips from trembling in embarrassment and awkwardness. Ichijou beamed at my words, his eyes lighting up with genuine happiness, and as he spoke again my eyes flickered to his mouth, seeing a rather sharp canine poking out. _He has pointy teeth. Huh._ It must suck whenever he accidentally bites his tongue. Mine aren't that sharp and it still hurts like heck.

"See, Kaname?" Hey, I was right-whoa! Um, okay. Ichijou had stood up straighter, but still kept his arms around my shoulders. My back was partially pressed against his chest. "I told you everything was fine. Irene-Chan's a nice girl." Dumbfounded by his words and the entire situation I just blinked, craning my neck to look up at him.

"W-Wait, what? I am?" Ichijou stared at me. Still smiling, he nodded. I awkwardly looked down, hugging my notebook to my chest now. "O-Oh... O-Okay."

"You sound so sad about that, Taylor-San~!" Kaien wailed, looking greatly upset. "Being nice is a good thing!"

"I-I'm not sad! I-I just-I dunno." What do I say to this? I personally think I'm greatly annoying, but multiple people in the past have called me "nice" or "kind". I just don't see it. What does being a crybaby have to do with being kind? "I-I-" Stop looking at me. Stop looking at me. _I can't explain it!_ More and more uncomfortable by the second I scrunched my shoulders up and tried to hide my face behind my notebook, certain it was red. "I don't know!" My voice squeaked. "I-I'm sorry!"

Kaien waved his hand, "It's fine, it's fine~! I'm just teasing you, Taylor-San. Though, I must say, I am quite proud of you." Ichijou had released me finally, now just standing between me and that Kaname guy. "I knew you'd do well! You even made a new friend-a new _Night Class_ friend!" I was confused as to why he put emphasis on the "Night Class", but I didn't question it. I knit my eyebrows together and tilted my head, waiting for him to finish so I would be less befuddled. "Just... I just..." I jumped a little when he burst out into tears, standing up. "I'm so proud of you!"

Eyes wide I screamed, kneeling down in a fetal position with my notebook held to my chest tightly when he leaped off the desk and tackled me. I screamed even louder, kicking my feet frantically when he picked me up off the ground and started spinning.

"You're doing absolutely _wonderfully_ so far, Taylor-San! Ah, is it alright if I call you "Irene"? Gah! I'm just so proud of you, my adorable student!" He finally set me back down and I stumbled, wobbling back-and-forth until I just fell over. "Oh my... are you okay?" He reached a hand out to help me, but I was already scrambling away. "I-Irene-Chan?"

I sat on my toes, kneeling behind Ichijou and holding onto his pantsleg with one hand as I peered out at Kaien frightfully, no longer trusting the man. "D-Don't-Don't pick me up again. P-Please?"

Ichijou blinked, looking down at me curiously with an amused smile on his face. Kaname remained as passive as ever, though the suspicion from his eyes were now gone. Kaien just held a hand held out lifelessly towards me, tears in his eyes as he stammered out,

"A-Ah... C-Could it be... you don't like heights?"

"N-No, I just-I just-I'm just not too keen on falling." I was about to continue, explaining that it ran in the family and just _who_ was all afraid of heights, but a gentle hand on my head cut me off. Ichijou chuckled as he ruffled my hair, kneeling down.

"You're scared of a lot of things, aren't you, Irene-Chan?"

I thought about it for a moment, staring at him, before shrugging as I tried to regain my composure. "I'm not scared of _you_." I told him. He blinked in surprise. "B-Bugs and-and heights and..." Aidou. "I-I'm just skittish." I took a quiz on a _Pokemon_ game once and it said I was a Skitty. Random fact, but I think it fits in here. "Um, a-anyway," I looked at the Headmaster, "d-did you just want to tell me about Upperclassman Ichijou tutoring me? B-Because I left my stuff back in the classroom a-and Skylar's sleeping, s-so I-I need to try and take notes for her..." My voice quieted near the end of my sentence, becoming quite intimidated by Kaname's intense stare.

Kaien sat up on the ground, crossing his legs with a smile, and spoke. He said, "No need to worry! She can just stay after class and the teacher can explain everything to her then." Oh... ouch. I tried not to wince, already regretting opening my mouth. _Sorry, Skylar._ "But the main reason I called you here today is because we need to pick a good time for your tutoring sessions. With him being Night Class and you being Day Class your sleeping schedules are completely different."

I thought about it, lowering and going silent, and did my best not to ponder the thought as to why all of us, except Kaname, were sitting and/or kneeling on the floor. "We could... I mean, after classes?" Would that even work? "Wait, no... yeah! Yeah, that could work. Or it could be _before_ classes..." Hmm. Which way can he still get sleep in and not have to stay up past whatever time it is he goes to bed? "Oh! I could wake up early... no. Um... I dunno." I turned my head to look at the blond kneeling beside me. "You sleep during the day, right? 'Cause of the classes being at night? Then... what time do you get out of class? 'Cause I can set my alarm or something and wake up."

"I can wake up early, Irene-Chan; you need your rest."

"No, I don't." I bluntly objected. Kaien let out a puff of air at that, startled and amused at the blatant rejection of Ichijou's offer. Ichijou gaped.

"Eh?"

"I can live off two hours of sleep." It's not that hard, really. "I just need to down a heck ton of tea. You, however, need your beauty sleep otherwise your fangirls will kill me. So. What time do you get off?"

Ichijou looked like he wanted to protest, and Kaien looked ready to cry even more tears of joy, but it was Kaname who answered. "One in the morning."

I closed my eyes and made a face, groaning and lowering my head. "Wonderful... got it. Well, I'm normally up til three on the weekends anyway. This is why I'm a nocturnal person. Blegh."

"I suggested-"

"When you think about it, it'd be the same time anyway 'cause it's gonna be bright and early unless we can get out of class." I cut in, breaking off Ichijou's sentence. The blond paused, the lightbulb flashing over his head as he realized I was right. "And I don't think _he_ ," I pointed at the Chairman, "is gonna allow that."

Kaien scratched his chin, thinking about it. "Well, I _could_... but we'll see about that once your grades get brought up. I can't have a student failing, after all."

Dang it. "So, wait, when is the tutoring even going to start? What day?" I'm so lost. "And why are we all on the floor?"

Ichijou laughed, giving me a shrug, and Kaien just smiled. "It's comfortable," The Headmaster said, beaming. I thought about it before nodding, then grinning up at the man who was still standing.

"You should sit down, too!" I leaned forward, plopping down on my rear end, and patted the empty spot beside Kaien. "It's fun!"

"Well," Ichijou began while Kaien snickered away, stopping only when Kaname glared at him, "It's certainly interesting." He chuckled, laughing to himself as he sat down properly and crossed his legs, hands on his lap. "Never had a meeting with the Headmaster go like this before, and there have been some strange ones."

"Like what?" I asked curiously, but he just sent me a smile and waved it off.

"I'll tell you in the future. For now, we should finish what we all came here to do." Oh... okay. If we must.   


	8. A Scholarly Knight P.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene heads out to the Moon Dorms, but ends up passing out on their couch. The Night Class have a discussion...?

I'm not entirely sure how I feel about doing this; I mean, when I told Skylar she almost flipped her tables and Yuuki, oh the poor thing, looked so terrified for my wellbeing I ended up hugging her and squealing about how adorable and sweet she was. I didn't understand why she looked so scared, at least... not until Skylar pointed out Aidou would be at the Moon Dorms as well.

That was the number one reason as to why I was so scared right now. The second was the fact that I was going be heading into a guy's _room_ -let's forget all about my awkwardness around those of the opposite gender for a moment, and just focus on the fact that anything horrible could happen in that kind of scenario. I almost hated my father in that moment for telling me constantly about how guys would take advantage of me if they had an opportunity. _I won't see Aidou, it's just going to be me, Upperclassman Ichijou, and Shiki._ I don't know much about Shiki, but I trust Upperclassman Ichijou and he seems to be close to Shiki, so I won't doubt him.

And lastly, the third reason is that it was the _Night Class Dorm_ and if any of the fangirls/boys found out about it then I was definitely going to buried six feet or more under. I was tapping my pencil nervously against my desk the entire class day waiting for the bell to ring.

Again, I avoided the crowd. The cuts on my jaw and hand were finally starting to heal, scabbing over and turning into small scars slowly, but I didn't want to deal with another violent female. Kaname said their class ended at one, and I had a note from the Headmaster to give to the guard, so when I got back to mine and Skylar's dorm I changed out of my uniform, put on my pajamas, set the alarm, and passed out.

I woke up a few hours later, put on some comfy clothes at twelve thirty, and pondered whether or not to bring my phone or ask Skylar to walk me to the Moon Dorms. It's been three days since I last saw Ichijou anyway, seeing as that was when the conversation with the Headmaster had taken place, so I felt more than just a little uncomfortable storming up to the gates and asking to see him. How weird would that be?

A-And, oh god... what if I walk in and Aidou's standing right there? I-I can't...

I found myself clawing at the spot on my neck, nails digging into the raw flesh and threatening to make it bleed. It hurt greatly, but I still hoped that it would get rid of that terrifying feeling. I didn't want to go outside by myself at this time of night either, even if the Night Class were still in school learning.

No. No. It's okay. I'm okay. It'll be alright. I-I just need to breathe, that's all. Deep breaths...

Tucking my phone into my pocket I triple checked to make sure I had the note and the directions to the Moon Dorm. Skylar was on patrol, so I had no choice _but_ to go alone. I kept muttering to myself along the way, playing songs in my head and going over all possible scenarios that could happen when I get to the guard, then into the dorms, and when I see Ichijou and/or Shiki.

My hands were shaking terribly as I handed the guard the note from the Headmaster, the old man eying me suspiciously for a moment before he grunted and waved his hand, telling me in a gruff voice to go on ahead. I hesitantly did so, heart pounding and legs trembling as I neared the big doors of the building. _Stay calm. Stay calm. There's ten minutes left. Y-You can just... sit in the lobby or something._

Yeah, that would work. A small yawn built up as I opened the doors. They creaked open and, to my relief, when I looked in there was nobody there. Walking in I called out a nervous, "H-Hello?" When no one answered I tentatively made my way over to one of the couches, finding it odd at how fancy they were compared to the plain green ones in the Day Dorm. I blinked in surprise at how comfy the cushions were.

 _They really are prestigious, huh?_ Even though it was a school made for rich people I honestly keep forgetting that fact. Another yawn escaped my lips as I continued to think about what could happen, and before long I found myself falling over and passing out.

...

To say the Night Class was surprised would be an understatement. The Moon Dorms were constantly off limits to the Day Class, so when they entered the building and found a small Human girl curled up on one of the dorm lobby couches they were quite shocked.

"Hey, Dorm President," The tall redhead beside Ruka began, eyes locked firmly onto the resting Human, "There's a Day Class girl passed out on the couch and it's _not_ Cross Yuuki. Why is that?" Kaname barely cast him a glance, striding past the man and the Human asleep on the couch.

"You should ask Takuma," He told him, making his way up the stairs to go to his room. The redhead blinked and made a face.

"Hah?"

"Gah!" His cousin shrieking in terror snapped the man out of his confusion. He looked at Aidou, who was now trying to hide behind him. "What's _she_ doing here!? Akatsuki, let's leave already! I'm going to get killed if I stay near her!"

"What are you _talking_ about?" He asked, raising an eyebrow at him.

From the side Ruka scoffed, looking on with distaste at the girl, whereas Rima just took a piece of pocky from Shiki and walked forward, kneeling down in front of the Human. Chewing on the chocolate treat Rima reached forward and poked the brunette in the cheek. "She's still cold..."

"Probably fell asleep while waiting for Ichijou-San..." Shiki murmured, before letting out a yawn himself. "...Hey, Ichijou-San." He looked over his shoulder, trying to locate the tall blond who was attempting to politely push his way through the crowd. Ichijou recognized the lavender smell, and he wanted to get there before any gutsy Vampire tried something. "Ichijou-San, your Human friend is here sleeping..."

Ruka's eyes widened and she looked at Ichijou in alarm. "Wait, this is Lord Takuma's fault!?" The blond mentioned finally managed to get through the horde of Night Class students, stumbling into the dorm and almost face-planting. He caught himself and stood up, brushing off his uniform, and gave Ruka a sheepish smile. All the other aristocrats were looking at him, though some lower class Vampires cast Irene curious and hungry glances. "What are you doing bringing a human here!? Are you insane!? Do you _want_ Hanabusa to go off and drink her dry!?"

"Hey!" The hot-headed blond shouted, face twisting into that of anger. "I'm not that blood-thirsty, thank you! Besides," He slumped his shoulders, looking distressed. "If I'm even found near her, her stupid friend Ferret is going to kill me... And that's why we need to get out of here before-" He froze, seeing Eliza walk in with some other students. He paled. The girl's eyes zeroed in on him before looking at the girl sleeping not ten feet away, Rima still poking Irene's cheek.

"Hey, hey," Rima said quietly, "why are you still sleeping?" Shiki stretched and let out another yawn, sitting down on the armrest of the couch.

"It's past day time hours, Rima... you know this."

The girl gave him a quick glance before turning back to the resting girl. "I do, but with how loud Aidou-San is being you'd think she'd wake up."

"Why you-!" Aidou began, but Eliza cut him off with a glare.

"If you even _start_ -" Aidou let out a shriek halfway through her rant, practically flying behind the tall ginger man, screeching about how they needed to hurry up and go to their dorm room before Eliza tried to kill him. "Damn straight you should be scared!"

"N-Now, now," Ichijou tried to say, clapping his hands nervously. "I think we should all just calm down. Irene-Chan is a good friend of mine and she's here because I'm going to be tutoring her, so please don't cause her any trouble. I'm asking as both a friend of you all and as the Vice Dorm President; I know it may seem tempting to some, but please keep your fangs to yourself."

The lobby was so crowded at this point-it really was a wonder as to how Irene didn't wake up yet. Everyone stared at Ichijou, watching and waiting for someone to speak up, and the silence was only broken by Ruka scoffing and turning around, flipping her hair over her shoulder as she headed towards the stairs.

"As if I'd want _her_ blood. She doesn't even smell that appetizing."

"Ruka," Akatsuki said with a frown, quickly following after her, and Aidou gave another terrified yelp before chasing after Akatsuki and complaining loudly about him leaving him behind. Ichijou's smile twitched, but it kept in place.

"I only like Ichijou-San and Rima's blood..." Shiki mumbled, closing his eyes as he threatened to drift off into sleep. Rima stopped poking Irene's cheek, finishing her pocky stick, and looked at Ichijou out of the corner of her eyes.

"I don't even know her..."

Ichijou finally seemed to relax, the rest of the students giving their promise not to attack her, and only tensed when he saw Eliza giving him a stern gaze. "Y-Yes, Riza-Chan?"

She stared at him for a while, not speaking, before finally smiling. "Thank you." Ichijou blinked, tilting his head in confusion, before realization lit up his eyes and he beamed.

"There's nothing to thank me for. Irene-Chan is my friend, too. Ah, Shiki, you can go ahead up to the room; Irene-Chan and I will be there to join you in a few moments." The redhead groaned as he pushed himself up off the armrest, standing and rubbing at his eyes.

  
He just nodded at Ichijou, turning his gaze to look at Rima. Rima could feel his eyes on her, but didn't look at him just yet. Instead she she placed a hand on the girl's shoulder, shaking her. Irene grimaced, blinking groggily, and stared in confusion at Rima before sitting up and fixing the glasses that threatened to fall off her face.

She was wearing a grey turtleneck... a wise decision, Rima decided. Around so many Vampires, it would be best to conceal the soft parts of her neck. "Ichijou-San is here." She told the girl bluntly. Rubbing at her eyes Irene blinked, frowning and knitting her eyebrows together in confusion.

"Ichijou...? O-Oh! Wait, crap, d-did I fall asleep?" She looked around the room frantically, freezing when she saw the smiling blond, and relaxing only a little when she saw Eliza smiling at her. Irene slumped her shoulders and hung her head, upset. "S-Sorry..."

...

I could feel my eyes sting, but before I could actually start crying Ichijou spoke up, telling me it was alright seeing as I was not used to getting up at this time. Eliza brought up how I seem to be spending a lot of time with Ichijou recently, grinning as she did so and telling me that she was proud of me. Completely misinterpreting her words I just gave a thumbs up and said, "I know, right? I'm actually talking to people."

She face-palmed at my words, laughing soon afterwards, and told me she'd be in her dorm room if I wanted to talk. A shadow suddenly hung over me and I looked up, staring in surprise at the woman who had woken me up.

I'm not going to lie; she was gorgeous. Eyes so blue and sharp it felt like they could electrocute you, with long dark lashes and porcelain skin. Her hair was a fiery orange, pulled back by two black ribbons, and there was only the slightest hint of make-up on her. "Am I in heaven?" She blinked at me, expression almost as blank as Shiki's. I rubbed at my eyes, wondering what the heck was going on, "I-I think I'm seeing Angels. Oh god; did I die in my sleep? Jeez, you're super pretty." I laughed, grinning at her. "Your eyes are a really pretty blue."

"...Thanks..."

"Ehhh!? Irene-Chan, how come you compliment Rima, but you don't compliment me?" A ridiculously bubbly voice whined loudly after the girl spoke, causing me to turn my head in surprise. I wasn't even able to open my mouth to respond when suddenly I was being crushed by a body, arms around my shoulders with a face buried in my neck.

"G-Gah! Flying person!" I cried out, trying to curl into a fetal position right before he landed on me. "Wh-What are you doing!?"

"It's not fair~" Ichijou whined, "I knew you first, but you only say nice things to her?"

"...Ichijou-San..." Shiki said, staring blankly at his friend. "You're suffocating her." Ichijou sniffled, sitting up, and loosened his hold. To my displeasure he kept his arms around me, not letting go just yet. "Didn't she say something when you met...?" He spoke slowly, occasionally taking pauses between words.

Ichijou paused, thinking about it, before he lit up like a firefly and beamed down at me. I was trying to lean as far away as possible, his face far too close for my liking. "That's right! You said I had a "beautiful soul", didn't you!?" D-Did I? That does sound like something I would say...

"W-Well, you're s-super nice and stuff a-and... most probably would've just walked on it." I cleared my throat, unable to look away as his eyes bored into me. That was a really bad trait I had; no matter the situation I almost always look people in the eyes. It's difficult for me not to. "Y-You're eyes are a-also really nice. I-I mean, they aren't mean."

He blinked, and Rima and Shiki's attention looked caught now. "What do you mean?"

"Th-They don't have m-malice or... or anything. Y-You know?" God, this is embarrassing. They're going to laugh and say I'm completely wrong, aren't they? "They're..." I stiffened when he leaned closer. Those green orbs were almost hypnotizing. "They're "nice". I-I mean, it also helps that they're like a forest green, which is a super pretty color, b-but I'm talking "nice" as in "friendly". R-Rima?" I looked at the girl awkwardly for confirmation, who nodded. "R-Rima... san? Has nice eyes, too, a-and I-I didn't get a good look at uh, Shiki-San's, but I..." I tried to shift to look at the redhead. He held my gaze for a moment, just the slightest bit of curiosity on his face. "It's... hard to tell with you... but I don't see anything bad."

"...But you don't like Aidou..." Shiki said. It was so quiet I almost didn't hear him, but the very mention of the blond caused terror to rush through my veins. "Was it his eyes... or what he did?"

Rima looked sharply at Shiki, eyebrows furrowing together. "What do you mean?"

C-Can Ichijou get off of me now, please? "C-Can you move, please? Y-You're crushing me." He wasn't, but I was uncomfortable with being partially pinned to the couch. This guy and his tackles... he's almost as bad as the Headmaster. I feel bad for Zero and Yuuki, and this is coming from someone who _loves_ hugs.

"Oh, s-sorry." He pulled away, sitting down on the opposite end of the couch while I scooted closer to the armrest on my side, eyeing him nervously in case he tried to hug me again. I pulled my knees up to my chest, unafraid to put my shoes on the cushion after seeing Ichijou do so after tackling me. "Mm... I don't think we should bring that up, Shiki. Irene-Chan is uncomfortable with it."

"...Fine..."

Rima narrowed her eyes, but didn't say anything. She just crossed her arms and gave Shiki a stare. Catching the look he sighed.

"I'll tell you... later..." He trailed off and gave another yawn, this one loud and big, and my eyes briefly glanced at the sharp and long canines poking out of his mouth. I didn't bother to think about it however, nor go through the trouble of pointing it out, and instead tried to change the subject.

"S-So... what are we going over?" Just math and science? Just math? Just science? Something else? Ichijou looked relieved, though I couldn't figure out why, and said,

"Any and all subjects you're having issues with. First off, are you having more trouble with math or science? Shiki here is the best at sciences, whereas I excel in math."

"...Hah?" Shiki paused when he heard his name get mentioned. "...Hey, Ichijou-San... you didn't sign me up for anything without telling me about it first... did you? This is forced labor..."

"Just put up with it," Rima sighed, closing her eyes. "He's the Vice Dorm President; he can sign you up for anything and get away with it." Ichijou smiled up at her, leaning in her direction with mischievous eyes.

"Does that mean you're volunteering, Rima?"

"Eh...? No way. I'm going to sleep; I've got a photo shoot in three hours. Shiki, you should go to bed, too."

"...Mm." He nodded, watching as she walked away before following and catching up to her in a few short strides. "Good night... Ichijou-San... Terrier-San..."

I jumped when a loud clap resounded around the room, echoing from when Ichijou hit his hands together. I looked at him in alarm. He looked giddy. "I've got Irene-Chan all to myself now~ Ah, but it would be better if it weren't for schoolwork." Ichijou pouted, only to stand with a grin. "I'll go get a textbook from school library real fast; the doors should still be open. You wait here, okay? And if something happens, just scream. I'll be here." O-Okay...?

"W-Wait, hold on-is it okay for you to go out by yourself?" He paused, having taken only one step towards the door. He blinked at me, eyes wide.

"Eh?"

I bit the inside of my cheek, recalling what had happened when I went out by myself. "I-Is it really safe to go by yourself when it's this late?" There are probably weirdos and perverts, and Ichijou's a pretty boy so he's in double the danger. "Wh-What if there are some crazy fangirls or something?"

Surprise fading from his face a warm smile grew on his lips, his eyes softening as he walked towards me and knelt down. He placed a hand on the top of my head, lightly ruffling my hair. I blinked, eyes closing from reflex when he did that. "I assure you I can handle practically anything that gets thrown my way. You should worry about yourself, Irene-Chan."

But... "There could be an ax murderer..."

"Eh?" He appeared startled for a moment before his shoulders started shaking, Ichijou just outright _laughing_ at me. I felt completely humiliated, wondering why I bothered opening my paranoid mouth in the first place. Being alone in places where anything could jump out at you always bothered me. I blame all the horror movies I was scarred by as a child.

"What!? Th-There could be! You never know!"

An arm around his stomach, he spoke with one hand held up to his chin, chuckling and giggling away. "I-I'm pretty sure I can h-handle an... an _"ax murderer"_ , Irene-Chan." He used air quotations, mocking me, and I whined loudly.

"Don't laugh at me! That's so mean! Why are you being such a bully!?" Where's Eliza or Skylar? I need to tell one of them about how Ichijou is bullying me. "And here I thought you were nice!"

"That's your own mistake," He responded, smiling in amusement. Ichijou shook his head, before extending a hand towards me. "Well, I suppose if you're _that_ worried about an ax murderer jumping out at me you can come with me." I stared blankly at the hand for a moment, wondering if he wanted a high five or if he want me to grab it. "No?" Oh! So he _did_ want me to take it. O-Okay.

I awkwardly grabbed his hand and let him help pull me up onto my feet, stumbling a little and barely catching my balance as he moved to help. I pulled away from him like fire, free hand up in the air, and squeaked multiple apologies.

I was about to pull my other hand away, seeing as he was still holding onto the limb, before deciding not to. "Well, let's go, Irene-Chan~! An adventure to the school library awaits!" He started to drag me to the doors, and as he opened them I couldn't help but ask, 

"D-Do you have to add the "-Chan"?"

"Hm?" He looked a bit startled at the random subject change. Maybe it was because I was American, but it felt weird having him call me "-Chan" and me adding the "Upperclassman" every time.

"C-Can't you just call me "Irene"?"

He stopped walking, nearly making me bump into his back. I stepped away and looked up at him in alarm, wondering if I screwed up socializing and if he was going to hate me for asking. "You want me to?"

"It... It just feels weird," I admitted, finding it annoying that I couldn't look away. My feet shifted and I resisted the urge to squeeze his hand, wanting _something_ to cling onto tightly at this moment. My hand was held captive, so I was unable to fiddle with my sleeves, and I don't think he'd react well if I did that. We weren't too terribly close anyway, so that would make it even stranger. "A-And... And so does... c-calling you "U-Upperclassman" e-every time." D-Did I say that right? It's becoming a bit difficult to remember what words mean what in his language. I had to pause multiple times to think and mentally freak out.

Ichijou spoke with an amused smile, clearly finding something about this situation entertaining. "It's not like I told you to call me "Upperclassman". We're friends, so if it makes you feel more comfortable you can just use "-Kun" at the end of my name. Less of a mouthful, isn't it?" We're friends? "Ehh? What do you look so surprised about? Did you- _no~!_ Irene-Chan, did you not think us as friends? A-Ah, wait, you don't want me to use that honorific anymore... "

I made a face as I pouted, slumping my shoulders as I stared at him in disbelief. "My apologies for not understanding human interaction! I'm talkative, but I don't understand people that well." I always doubt my deductions.

"Human-? A-Ah, right, of course. Sorry, I forgot." He then raised an eyebrow, looking down at me curiously. "And talkative? You're always so quiet."

"That's-That's because I don't understand Japanese that well!" I waved my free arm about, complaining loudly. "I-I'm also only just starting to get comfortable around you, s-so... yeah!"

"I've made you uncomfortable?" Ichijou looked upset.

" _No!_ I-I just-I don't know!" Would he take offense if I told him I was awkward around guys? "Stop-Stop arguing with me! I-I just-I don't know!" I dragged my free hand down my face, groaning dramatically as my voice went up multiple octaves. I could feel my eyes burn, disliking the way this conversation was going. Maybe this was all just one great big mistake. "I'm just..." I let out a disgruntled sound, unsure of how to say my next sentence as I lowered my hand enough to cover my mouth. I shrugged stiffly, "I just... I'm just awkward around guys. I-I mean, I trust you, it's just... I-I dunno, I can't explain it."

"Hmm..." He hummed in thought, frowning as he stared at me, before he let go of my hand and placed both of his on my shoulders. I blinked dumbly. "I think I get it! But you don't have to worry, Irene-Chan!" Ichijou was smiling again. He seemed to have forgotten I told him to call me by name without honorific. "I'll protect you from all the bad men!"

...I can't tell if he's pretending not to notice, or if he's just not lumping himself together with other guys for pride reasons.

"Now let's go! Our adventure awaits us!" He linked an arm with mine quickly, marching off and leaving me to stumble after as I attempted, and failed, to keep up with his long strides.   


	9. A Worrying Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Skylar gets invited to a Cross family dinner and Takuma gets a bit protective of his new friend.

In all honesty, not much studying actually went on. We probably managed to get only halfway through a page before we started talking about manga and certain storylines of them. He then lectured me for avoiding the crowd after classes. I told him I didn't want to get pushed around by angry fangirls, but he simply complained and said that they weren't _that_ pushy more as they were just scary.

"Why did you lie and say you promised to tutor me?" I finally managed to ask, still at a loss as to why he did such a thing.

The pencil he had been scratching against the paper froze, the blond looking at me with wide eyes. "E-Eh?" I frowned, not understanding what could have possibly went through his mind at that moment in the Headmaster's Office. Ichijou had no such obligation to tutor me, so why? I'm still surprised at the fact he considered me a friend. We didn't interact that much; it's only been about two, nearly three weeks since we've met.

Ichijou cleared his throat after a moment, putting the pencil down, and turned so he was facing me. He gave a small smile, looking almost nervous about something. "I like spending time with you, Irene-Chan. And due to our time differences we wouldn't be able to be around each other too often. This seemed like a win-win situation; I can spend time with you and you can raise your grades up at the same time. I-I thought it was a great idea, but..." He scratched his cheek, looking quite sheepish and greatly upset. "I guess you don't feel the same way, huh?" Ichijou looked like a kicked puppy with the face he was making. I regretted ever even asking when I saw that expression.

"N-No, I-I didn't say that; do-don't go twisting my words!" I faltered when I realized I blurted that out in English, and struggled to repeat what I said in Japanese when Ichijou knit his eyebrows together. He probably only understood half of what I said. "I-I just-I was just confused, okay? D-Don't-Don't go getting the wrong idea or anything. I-" Oh jeez. Now I'm embarrassed. Why does he make me say weird things? "I like spending time with you, too." Dang it, dang it, dang it-not okay! Not okay! I bit my bottom lip and promptly directed my attention onto the textbook in front of me, staring blankly at the numbers and kanji as my brain failed to translate due to how flustered I was. "Uhh..."

A chuckle from Ichijou caused me to stiffen, awkwardly looking at him and then back at the textbook. I looked back at him again, this time in alarm and shock when he said, "Irene-Chan is adorable." W-What? I'm going to smack him, I swear. "Ah, it's getting late. You should probably head back to the Day Dorms if you want to sneak in some extra sleep before your classes."

Th-That's true... It's almost six. I was going to miss breakfast at this point. I did feel a bit nauseous... okay, that's a lie. I felt like I was going to throw up and faint I was so hungry. I placed a hand against my head, trying to ignore the pounding in my skull that appeared every time I moved, and thought about whether I should stay and keep talking or if I should just go back to the Day Dorms and get something from the cafeteria.

Without waiting for a response Ichijou closed the textbook, smiling with closed eyes and standing up. With a calm demeanor he spoke softly and said, "We can continue tomorrow morning. Do you want me to escort you to the Dorms?" His eyes open and flickering mischievously, he added, "Just in case you get attacked by an "ax murderer"?"

"Sh-Shut up," I grumbled, standing and getting off the couch. We were originally going to go to his and Shiki's dormroom to study, but seeing as Shiki was sleeping we decided to just stay in the lobby. Strangely enough, I felt relieved. "I'll fight you," I grumbled in English.

He blinked, surprised, and asked with a tilted head, "Bite me?" He echoed, speaking in English.

"Fight!" I wailed, getting fed up with everyone mishearing me-whether they understood my first language or not. "I said _fight!_ F-I-G-H-T! Why does everyone think I say "bite"? Biting people is mean! I don't know about you, but I would rather fight someone than be bit." I scrunched my nose up. "I've been bitten by dogs way too many times when I was little, not to mention when my sister had that phase where she believed herself to be a Vampire and bit my wrist until I bled to "prove" it. That was not a fun day." Ichijou blinked, watching as I tugged and twisted my shirt sleeves, and exclaimed,

"Why would she do that!? Are you alright?" Still pouting I nodded. "Why on earth did she pretend to be a Vampire?"

"Because she thought they were cool. She was like, thirteen maybe? I think I was four. It was before she started hating on me, I know that much." I was around five or six when _that_ ten years happened, as she only started being nice to me when I reached Middle School. "I mean, yeah, Vampires are okay-I have nothing against them, but when your sister _bites_ you and digs her teeth into your wrist it isn't exactly a pleasant feeling." I waved my left hand, the same hand she had bit and then dug her nails into a few years ago.

Ichijou frowned, tilting his head at me, and asked me, "What do you mean you have "nothing against them"?"

Why is he so serious all of a sudden? He isn't one of those obsessive jerks who will hate on you for dissing their obsession, is he? I felt a small twinge of sadness at that, praying that wasn't the case as Ichijou seemed like a really nice person. He did mention a lot of the mangas he read were Vampire-esque.

I gave a small shrug, uncomfortable with the current situation. "I-I dunno, they haven't done anything for me to _hate_ them, have they? It's not like they even exist. And if they did, it'd depend on the Vampire as to whether or not I like them; I doubt they're all bloodthirsty killers." I decided to take the gamble and be honest with my answer, but the look Ichijou gave me when I said that was just... I can't even explain it. It was like a huge weight was lifted off of his shoulders he just looked so relieved. "There are probably good and bad Vampires-you can't lump them all together. It would be like saying all Humans are total jerks."

"Irene-Chan..."

I yawned really loudly then, rubbing at my watery eyes. I was exhausted. "If anything, I feel bad for Vampires. Being immortal would suck."  


Surprise took over his features. "Eh? How so?"

"Because," I started, thinking of a certain character from a manga I read, slumping my shoulders, "You would have to watch everyone you care about die. Unless they're all immortal, they'll die off and... wouldn't that take a toll on a person?" Oh god, my brain hurts. I feel like I'm gonna cry if I keep recalling what had happened in that manga. Agh. "I just..." I shook my head, "I can't imagine being immortal." I doubt I'd survive losing someone I care about. I stopped fiddling with my sleeves and laced my fingers together behind my back, trying to ignore how silent Ichijou was being. "If I met one I'd probably just run up and hug them. If they were nice, that is. If they were trying to drain me dry, _then_ I'd run away screaming."

Having finished my little rant, accidentally switching from Japanese to English midway and back again and repeating myself so he'd understand, I gave a loud yawn and stretched my arms out, standing on my toes, and started to make my way towards the door as I bid Ichijou goodbye. "I'll see you tomorrow!" I gave another yawn and had just pressed my hands against the door to open it when I heard footsteps.

I started to turn around, to look at Ichijou and ask what it was he wanted, when a pair of arms suddenly wrapped around my shoulders and pulled me into a familiar chest. I went still, not moving away nor completely accepting the embrace. I was beginning to get used to the random hugs from him, though it made me wonder if this was how Skylar or Eliza felt whenever I randomly tackled them. After an awkward moment I convinced myself to return the embrace, stiffly hugging him back.

I still questioned if leaning down like this hurt his back. He was so tall I didn't even reach his chin. I think I stood exactly at shoulder height next to him if not a centimeter below. After a few seconds I began to relax, easing into the hug. "You really are too kind, Irene-Chan," He murmured, confusing me with his words. His hold tightened briefly before he released me, stepping back with a closed-eye smile. Those green orbs opened and stared at me, the intensity gone and now just filled with total warmth. "I trust I'll see you at the gates after your classes?"

Is he still going on about that? I made a sour face, scrunching my nose up, and he laughed. "Do I _have_ to...? I don't want to get mauled."

"You won't get mauled," He promised, "they're not that violent." A hand outstretched to my face and I almost recoiled when his fingers brushed against the cut on my chin. "Unless you know something I don't...?" My eyes widened, feeling a twinge of fear as I stared up at him. Ichijou was smiling, but it wasn't a friendly smile. "Ah, but Irene-Chan is nice, so she wouldn't tell on someone who hurt her, would she?" He gave a small chuckle, his words practically declaring that he knew I had lied to him.

"I'm not nice," I argued, still not understanding peoples' perspectives of me. I was as selfish a person could be. "A-And nobody even _did_ anything to me, so it's not like I have reason to tell on anyone. And besides, even if I _did_ , I'd probably be the one to get in trouble anyway." That's how it always works, doesn't it? "It's because I was-" I froze, cutting myself off when I almost blurted out that I _did_ in fact get bullied due to talking to Ichijou.

"Eh? Because you "what", Irene-Chan?" He pressed, leaning down with a hand on his thigh for balance. Intimidated I took a small step back, wondering why he was so adamant about learning what actually happened. The hand that had been running fingers against the cut on my chin slid and cupped my cheek. "It's okay to tell me. We can report her to the Chairman for bullying you."

 _T-Too close!_ I thought I was good at lying! Damn it- "I-I-" I didn't want to admit I had lied, but I also found myself leaning towards telling him. I decided there'd be no point in hiding it any longer since he so clearly knew, and reluctantly admitted, "I don't know _who_ she is... I-I don't talk to anyone but you, Yuuki-Chan, Eliza, and Skylar..."

He blinked. "Really? Hm. Oh! I know; why don't you point her out to me tomorrow? She's most likely a fan of the Night Class, so she should be there at the gates." But I don't want her to get in trouble... and if she's able to make up a decent enough story to twist around and make it sound like _I_ attacked _her_ then I doubt there'd be much I could say to prove otherwise. Ichijou wasn't even witness, so he couldn't speak up on my behalf...

I opened my mouth to protest, wanting to avoid as much conflict as possible, but the smile he gave me caused any and all words to die on my tongue and I reluctantly lowered my head, nodding as I mumbled a quiet, "Okay... b-but what happens after I _do_ point her out to you?" What if she's not even there? Are we just going to march up to the Headmaster's Office or something? Ichijou can't skip class like that. I let out a discontented hum and crossed my arms, pouting as I looked up at him, waiting patiently for an answer. He looked surprised at my reaction, but like he had expected it at the same time.

Instead of giving a full in-detail plan like I had been hoping for he just smiled at me. "You'll see."

"But what are you going-what are _we_ going to do; are we just going to head up and tell on her or-"

He laughed and grabbed me by the shoulders, turning me around and pushing me towards the doors. I yelped and cried out in protest, but he ignored me. "You worry too much, Irene-Chan. Everything will be solved tomorrow, I promise. Here," He opened the door, keeping one hand on my back as he gently pushed me out of the Moon Dorm, "I'll escort you to the-Oh? Yuuki-Chan!"

The Headmaster's Daughter stared at us in surprise, and I could feel my face flare up in a bright red. I wondered how odd this must look to her and frantically pulled away from Ichijou, startling the poor man, and stumbled out of the doorway. I quickly hovered next to her, grinning and giving a quick wave, "Hey~ Yuuki-Chan! What's up!?"

Face a light pink-dear god, I hope she didn't get the wrong idea-she awkwardly stood up straight and gave a salute, trying make her adorable face stern. "I'm under orders by the Chairman to guide you back to Girls' Day Dorms safely!" O-Oh... Fingers curling slowly as I relaxed my hand I let out a silent breath of relief. I liked Ichijou, I really did, we were friends, but it didn't change the fact that he was a guy and I was awkward around those of the opposite gender. "Um, i-if you're ready...?" She looked at me, uncertainty written across her face.

I cast a look at Ichijou, who just smiled encouragingly and waved. His face was soft as he said, "Sleep well, Irene-Chan. I hope you have a good day at school."

I gave a small nod at his words, biting the inside of my cheek as I pondered how red my face was or if was still even red from the embarrassment. "Y-You too. S-Sweet dreams." For a reason I could not fathom he chuckled, closing the door half way before pausing to say,

"And I meant it when I said you don't have to worry, Irene-Chan. We're friends, so you can trust me. And... thank you." With those parting words he closed the door, vanishing and leaving me feeling more than confused.

 _Okaaay...?_ I don't understand people. They confuse me so much. I shook my head, fighting against the strange smile that was trying to form, and looked at Yuuki. "So... we leaving?" She was looking at me with a sort of dazed look. When I spoke my voice seemed to snap her out of it and she jumped, startled, and stammered,

"Y-Yes! Of course! Uh, th-this way, Ren-Chan!" Stuffing my hands into my jeans pocket I tried to ignore the coldness that enveloped me due to the warmth that had left with Ichijou's body. I regretted not wearing my two jackets.

The walk back to the dorms was completely silent, Yuuki casting occasional glances at me like she wanted to ask me a question, but she never did because before long we had arrived. Heading in I bid Yuuki goodbye, grinning and waving at the girl, and left to my room to change and go to bed.

I had exactly two hours sleep that night. The next morning, Skylar was nowhere to be found.

...

Why was she here exactly? Skylar wasn't going to complain about getting free food, especially if it was free _homemade_ food, but she just didn't understand _why_ she was getting it. Skylar barely spoke to Yuuki, so why on earth did she ask her to come over for breakfast? Skylar poked at the healthy-looking spaghetti casserole, multiple different types of vegetables mixed in, and stared at the fork in her hand curiously.

The Headmaster-er, Kaien had claimed that he was going to do his best to make this the best breakfast ever and actually passed out silverware. Skylar wasn't going to lie-she had expected chopsticks. _Well,_ she thought as she took a bite of the food, _anime has clearly lied to me._

"So, how is it?" Kaien asked excitedly, having just finished putting food on Yuuki and Zero's plates. He was dressed in the most ridiculous yellow apron, a picture of a cat on it with some fish, and had his hair tied back in pigtails. He had a bandanna wrapped around his head to keep his bangs out of his face. "It's my own special veggie casserole!"

The taste had exploded on her tongue, the delicious flavor practically overwhelming Skylar's tastebuds. _Can food taste this good!?_ It was practically defying the rules of nature! "It's amazing!" She exclaimed, accidentally blurting it out in English. Yuuki and Zero looked confused, but Kaien just gushed excitedly as he understood what it was she said. After an awkward moment of silence Skylar swallowed the food she was chewing and looked at the bubbly Chairman, confusion taking over her. "There's one thing though..." He froze, looking like he had been smacked.

"Wh-What is it? No! Was it because I put in too much pepper!? I put in too much pepper, didn't I? Or was it the onion powder? Was there too little!? O-Or maybe-!"  


"N-No, no, it's nothing like that!" Skylar quickly interrupted, seeing how he was freaking out. "I just don't get why I'm here." Kaien paused, turning his head to look down at her. Yuuki had certainly invited her, but... for what reason? "It's not like I bring much good to this Academy," She began, ignoring the lilac eyes that were piercing into her from the side, "I'm starting fights between people left and right, so I don't really understand as to _why_ I'm "here"." She gestured around them, talking about the lovely dinner and the family she was eating with. "I'm just a nuisance, aren't I?"

"Of course not!" He exclaimed, appalled at the very idea, "And what do you mean you started fights?" He frowned, looking at her sternly as he placed his oven-mitted hands on his hips. "You didn't happen to be involved with that little incident between Higurashi-San and Matsuoka-San, did you?"

Realizing quickly he had no idea it was actually Skylar that started up that fight she flashed an innocent smile and took another bite of the food, exclaiming about how wonderful it was. It distracted him and he gushed to Yuuki and Zero about how his new adorable student loved his cooking. "Why can't you two be as excited as she is?" He wailed, tears welling up in his eyes as he knelt down with his chin resting on the table top, staring at the two with big puppy dog eyes.

"W-Well, it's not like it _isn't_ good," Yuuki stammered, eating. "Besides," She commented, speaking with her mouth full, "You already know you're a good cook."

"Y-Yuuki..." He whimpered, his tears now of joy, before he lunged and tried to hug her. Yuuki, fast as lightning, shot backwards in her chair using the table for a boost, and the Chairman was sent flailing to the ground with a loud and painful thud. "Yuuki~!" He whined.

"S-Sorry, Chairman...."

He sniffled, pouting as the tears continued to fall down his face. "C-Call me "daddy"..."

Yuuki made a reluctant face, casting a nervous glance towards Skylar, before sighing and giving in. "S-Sorry... d-daddy..."

Kaien shot up right then, sniffling loudly and blinking away the tears that were stinging his eyes, and exclaimed, "Of course we mustn't forget the reason why we asked Skylar here to breakfast in the first place! Not only to celebrate the joining of our third guardian of Cross Academy, but the fact that my darling children finally have a new friend!"

"Hah?" Zero finally spoke up, eyeing the Chairman like he was an alien. He pointed his fork at Skylar, a dumpling with some seasoning dangling off the end. "Who the hell said I was friends with _her_?"

Skylar scowled at him, annoyed at his attitude. And here she was hoping they could be friends after that conversation... "Well, I wasn't exactly going to make friendship bracelets with _you_ anytime soon either." He narrowed his eyes at her, standing and slamming his fork onto his plate. Kaien and Yuuki flinched, both standing and trying to pacify the two.

"Z-Zero, calm down-"

"Kiryuu-Kun, Rosemary-San-"

"What is with you!?" Zero growled, stepping towards her. He looked like he was about ready to punch something. Skylar was the same, mimicking his actions as they glared at each other. "One minute you're trying to get into my head, and now you're going around telling people we're "friends"? Just what are you playing at, Rosemary!?"

"What am _I_ playing at? You're the one being an ass to everyone who tries speaking to you!"

Kaien tried to cut in again, only to shriek and jump back, hiding behind Yuuki when Zero flung an arm out to the side and nearly hit him in the face.

" _I'm_ being the ass!? You claimed you wanted to protect what was close to you, but yet you're letting that very same important person go near those bloodsuckers who want to do nothing _but_ cause harm! Think about your own actions before you go patronizing me!"

Though he was a great deal taller than Skylar she now had the collar of his shirt held tightly in her grasp, lightning flashing dangerously between their eyes. "Not all Vampires are the same, dumbass! You should know that, you being-" His eyes widened, but before Skylar could finish her sentence Kaien had launched an attack on her, pulling her close and clamping a hand over her mouth. Yuuki just looked plain lost, looking back-and-forth between them worriedly with a hand held up to her chest.

"I think that's enough out of you two for today," Kaien said, frowning at them disappointedly. "This was meant to be a nice breakfast, and yet the food is now going cold... Sit down and finish your meal."

Reluctantly the two fiery teens did so, shooting occasional glares at each other, with Yuuki letting out a small sigh. "I was hoping things would go nicely..." Kaien gave a firm nod at her words, humming in agreement.

...

Getting ready later that morning was a pain, my mind too filled and busy with thoughts to go about my usual routine. The nausea finally faded away, so many hours having passed since I last ate, and having slept passed the alarm I didn't have much time to reach the cafeteria to eat and so I missed breakfast. Fixing my leggings and my skirt I sighed, too lazy to fix the bow on my uniform or spray my hair.

I looked around the dorm and at all the people I passed as I made my way to the school, Ichijou's words echoing in my head and causing me to try and locate the person who had hurt me. I couldn't find her, so I figured she was already in class, and I just let my gaze travel to the direction of the Moon Dorms as I recalled the strange events that had happened earlier this morning.

With Shiki, Rima, and Ichijou... It almost felt like a dream. I rubbed at my face, blinking groggily and letting out a loud yawn. I was so drained... _Maybe it was a dream?_ I wouldn't put it past me. I preferred to reside far away from reality anyway, which was probably going to screw me over in the long run, but somehow I doubted this morning was a dream. Otherwise why else would I be so tired? Or maybe it was and I was just tired 'cause I didn't eat...

Whatever. I needed to get to class. I can deal with this... much later...

My head throbbed painfully as I walked, like someone was slamming my head mercilessly against a brick wall repeatedly, and it was a wonder how I didn't pass out for the first three class periods. Skylar had arrived just a few seconds before the first bell rang, so I knew she was alright, but by the time fourth period came I had blacked out and when I awoke lunch had passed and it was already halfway through fifth period. I couldn't recall the last time I ate.

Did I have breakfast yesterday or not? I think I had lunch, but I know for a fact that I missed dinner. Oh gross... _I think I'm gonna hurl._ I felt so lightheaded and dizzy... I wasn't even moving around either, which I think was the worst part. I couldn't even attempt to work on my homework, unable to translate anything at all with my current state of mind. Everything the teacher said became gibberish.

Eventually the seventh period bell rang, signalling the end of class, and grabbing my things I stood and nearly collapsed. The world spun, black dots coating my vision, and I could feel something akin to bile bubble its away up my throat like acid. It was difficult walking in a straight line and more than once I had to stop and lean against the wall to get the pounding in my skull to stop. My breathing was labored.

_N-Need to... make it to the gates..._

I promised. I told him I would be there. I agreed to go. I-I need to... Skylar... Eliza... Ichijou... somebody...

A large force knocked me off the wall and, without the strength to put up any resistance, I fell. I landed roughly on my side, pain flaring through my left shoulder and an intense stinging through the knuckles of my hands as they scraped against the ground. I could feel something dig into the small of my back.

I turned, kicking at the person, with a hand clamped over my mouth as the movement caused me to grow even sicker. Who was...? Oh... it was her...

I seemed to have to startled her, or maybe she saw I was ready to hurl and she didn't want anything to do with that, but she stumbled back and I was able to force myself up onto my feet leaning over. I was somehow able to lumber my way towards the crowd before the pounding and lightheadedness became too much, the world spinning completely out of control as darkness overtook my vision and my legs gave out.

The last thing I remembered was seeing how bright a blue the sky was as my head hit concrete.

...

He could smell her. That lavender scent was engraved into his senses, so why can't he see her...? She was nearby, but not in the crowd or waiting where she used to the first few days she came to the gates to speak to him. So where...?

Ichijou slowed down his walk, drawing a curious look from Shiki whom he was walking beside, and came to a complete stop. His eyes searched the crowd, searching for that familiar head of brown hair, but instead all he saw was squealing fans and a girl with black hair and pink ribbons running desperately towards the crowd with frightened eyes...

The smile that was spread across his lips faltered, and it was only a hand on his arm that snapped him out of it. He looked down at Eliza in surprise, seeing the young Vampire looking up at him with a raised eyebrow. "Ah... Riza-Chan."

"Is something wrong, Upperclassman Ichijou?"

"N-No, just..." That girl... she had Irene's scent on her. It was faint, but there was also the stench of Irene's blood. Sweeter than before and in a greater amount. "That girl... Riza-Chan, how often does Irene-Chan get bullied? Did it happen a lot where you're from?"

What a weird question... Regardless, Eliza nodded. Her senses weren't quite as strong as Ichijou, even dulled due to being surrounded by Humans for so long, so she was unable to pick up the scent right away compared to when she was surrounded by Vampires in the Dorms. The scents they bore were completely different from the ones Humans had, which made it easier then. Now she was back in normal territory, so everything was harder to discern with all the flooding Human scents mixing together. "Yeah. She mentioned it a lot, but never seemed too bothered by it." Perceptive as she was, Eliza began to piece things together. Her gaze hardened. _Did something happen?_

"I see..." He frowned, staring at the pink-ribboned girl, and was about to follow the rest of the Night Class when he heard a sudden scream.

Everyone was disturbed. The fans stopped squealing, turning to look, and the entirety of the Night Class quit walking at the interruption. His ears picked up a cry about someone being unconscious, and before anyone could bat an eye Ichijou was there, kneeling down beside the familiar girl on the ground. "Irene-Chan!" He lifted her up, horrified at what was happening. The Human girl was pale and sweaty, and worst of all she was completely unmoving.

"Ren-Chan; oh god, Ren-Chan!" Yuuki cried out loudly, dashing over and pushing through the crowd of students. Skylar was chasing after, dark eyes wide with alarm and terror. "Zero! Zero, we need to take her to the Nurse!"

"Irene, oh jesus christ, what the hell!?" Skylar shouted. Zero was still making his way over when Ichijou picked up the lifeless Irene, walking past everyone. He ignored Kaname's intense gaze and Eliza's surprised stare. Zero was glaring at him, and though it was clear he wanted to disrupt and rip the two apart due to his hatred of Vampires he stayed put. Ichijou put out a random guess and assumed that Kaien had something to do with Zero's current behavior, as there would be no reason the young Vampire Hunter would remain still unless Kaien gave him orders to. "Damn it!" Skylar cursed to herself, "When was the last time she ate...?"

That caught Ichijou's attention, but he didn't say anything and simply continued on the way to the school. He needed to get Irene to the Nurse's Office, and if anything or anyone tried to get in the way of him helping his new Human friend Ichijou was going to rampage. He knew Humans were fragile, but to this extent...? He was going to have to question her when she woke up- _if_ she woke up. No. No, she was going to wake up. He wasn't going to lose his new friend so soon. Ichijou's feet moved faster.

Eliza and Skylar accompanied him and it was clear Yuuki wanted to as well, but Kaname kindly reminded her that she needed to calm down the panicked students less a riot happened. Zero sent them all a glare, directing a rather malicious one towards Kaname, and as Ichijou walked he could feel one burning holes into his back.

Shiki and Rima were waiting at the entrance of the building, having decided to wait for Ichijou, and the slightest semblance of surprise flashed across their faces when they saw the lifeless Human in his arms. "Terrier-San... ?" Shiki said quietly, clearly confused even if it did not show on his face. He and Rima stepped aside, allowing Ichijou entry, and followed silently behind with Skylar and Eliza hot on their tails. "Ichijou-San... what happened...?"

"Why is your Human friend unconscious?" Rima inquired, staring blankly at her blond friend. She frowned when she received no reply, feeling a bit annoyed that he didn't give an answer, and looked at the limp Human. She turned to look at Ichijou again, this time raising an eyebrow, and shared a look with Shiki who simply shrugged in response. She sighed. "What a pain... just what do you think you're doing... getting attached to a Human?" Sure, they were at this school to help build peace between their races, but... even so...they don't last long.

Yet who was Rima to judge? From the short conversation they had the Human girl seemed tolerable, unlike all the crazy and loud fangirls who never stopped screaming. She was loud like Aidou, and her voice was high-pitch, but it wasn't too unbearably so. She at least could keep her composure around the Night Class.

Maybe that was what caused Ichijou to take an interest in the first place? Rima didn't know. But what she did know was that while she wasn't exactly big on Humans or befriending them, she wasn't really against them and didn't want this specific Human to die _. But Humans are fragile... aren't they?_ She heard rumors that they could die from a simple cold. Rima didn't want to see Ichijou sad... and she knew for a fact that Shiki didn't either.

She decided that if this Human caused Ichijou any pain at all, she was going to personally hurt the Human herself.   

...

Ichijou placed a hand gently on her forehead, any and all smiles gone from his face as he waited for her to wake up. "Irene-Chan... Was this my fault?" The Headmaster had taken over responsibility as the Nurse due to the fact that the school nurse during the day had already went home, and Kaien had claimed that Irene had fainted due to low blood sugar. Ichijou knew it was a foolish thought; it had been Irene's own decision of whether or not to eat, but still... he could have suggested snacks while studying. Anything to have prevented... _this_.

And the redness on her neck... it was like someone had been scraping angrily with a cloth, trying to peel away anything and everything that was there. Ichijou ran his fingers over the white bandage wrapped around her hand, her knuckles having retained injuries from her fall. The scent of blood was lessened now, but Ichijou knew many of the Vampires in class were probably hungry for it. He wondered why he hadn't noticed the wound before, and if she had worn turtlenecks purposefully to hide it. _Clever girl..._

"Takuma..." A voice spoke from the door, snapping him out of his thoughts, and Ichijou pulled his hand away and straightened his back, turning his head to look over his shoulder at the Pureblood staring at him with an almost indiscernible expression. "You're taking this too far..."

He blinked at his friend's words and looked at Kaname in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"If you two keep interacting as you have been... our secret will be out." Kaname explained, eyes narrowing. "The Day Class must not learn of who we really are. Forget the Headmaster's plans... this is too dangerous a risk."

"She won't tell anybody if that's what you're implying," Ichijou argued, frowning at the garnet-eyed brunette. "Irene-Chan will keep it secret if I ask her." Kaname closed his eyes and let out a small sigh, leaning against the doorway with crossed arms. "Irene-Chan is a good girl, Kaname. I want you to see that. She even told me she approves of Vampires; she... You want to know what she told me?" A mischievous smile flitted onto his face, Kaname's gaze disapproving if not only the slightest bit curious. "She said she'd feel bad for Vampires if they were real. Because we live for so long... and because there are those who are immortal. Why, if she found out you were a Pureblood she'd certainly go up and hug you."

Oh, the glare he sent his way was totally worth it. It still scared Ichijou however, and he couldn't stop himself from tensing in preparation of a possible attack. Thankfully, Kaname held back and Ichijou's life wasn't in any danger this time. The blond gave a small, nervous chuckle.

"Can't you trust my judgement, Kaname? I thought you had more faith in me than that."

"..." Kaname pulled away from the wall and started to head out, but paused to say as he looked over his shoulder at Ichijou, "It's her I don't trust." He walked away, closing the door behind him, and Ichijou stared at the spot where he left for a moment before letting out a sigh.

"You always did hate unexpected players..." Ichijou ruffled his hair, shaking his head at his moody friend. "I really hope you aren't going to do anything drastic... " His eyes travelled to the sleeping girl who shifted, groaning a little as she reached a state where she could access her subconscious. "I really _really_ am hoping not."

...

"What the hell is everyone freaking out about?" Aidou grumbled from his desk. "I swear, that stupid Human is getting involved with _everything_ and it's driving me insane." Akatsuki sighed from the opposite side of the room, exasperated with his grumpy cousin. "And her blood is wafting everywhere! Can't they take care of her in the Day Dorms instead of here in the school!?"

"Shut up." Rima ordered, giving a small wave of her hand and curling her fingers. Aidou yelped when his head was forcefully pulled back, the male being pushed into looking up at the ceiling. From the angle he was now at he could just barely get a glimpse of the attractive woman and with what he could see he mustered up his best glare and sent it towards her. "Leave Terrier-San alone..."

"If Ichijou-San wants to fuss over a Human, let him." Was Shiki's reasoning as he let out a yawn, pulling a piece of pocky out a box and handing it to Rima who took it with her free hand. Tired of torturing Aidou she released him, the male slamming his hands onto his desk and standing. He whirled around, furious. Shiki watched boredly as he glared at them, the ginger casually putting in two pieces of Pocky and dangling them out of his mouth as he sucked on the chocolate. "It's none of our business, Aidou... stop making a big deal out of it."

"I just can't understand it!" His eyes burned, the blond frustrated beyond belief. He was a genius, the "Boy genius" of the Aidou family, yet no matter how hard he tried he just couldn't figure out Ichijou's reasoning or why Kuran Kaname hasn't done something about Ichijou's friendship with that Human yet. "We're putting everything at risk allowing this to continue and-and for _what!?_ " He ran his fingers through his air, ready to break down. "For a friendship with a Human we don't even know if we can _trust_!? Not to mention she's friends with _that_ hunter!" He pointed angrily at Skylar who scowled at him, the girl sitting on one of the desks not too far away from him.

"What's wrong with being friends with me? I'm a charming young lady, thank you very much!"

Ruka pressed her fingers against her forehead, feeling a migraine forming. "Will we _please_ stop with all the screaming and all the arguing? I'm certain Lord Takuma has a very good reason for all this. Fretting and arguing about it like we are isn't going to help anything."

"Ruka's right, Hanabusa," Akatsuki spoke with a deep frown. "We should leave the Vice President be."

" _Thank you!_ " Eliza exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air as she leaned back in her seat. "My god, I was beginning to think everyone except Shiki-San and Rima-San were crazy! Irene _isn't_ a threat; I don't know how many times I have to tell this to you people! She couldn't even kill a fly if she wanted!"

"She could kill a spider," Skylar piped up helpfully, only to pause and think about it. "Maybe. If it was small."

"She's terrified of spiders," Eliza deadpanned. "And that has nothing to do with it."

"You mentioned her killing a fly! I had to add in my own ten cents! Now, _ladybugs_ ," Skylar shivered. "Those things are disgusting."

"The thing that's _disgusting_ is Ichijou gallivanting around the Human!" Aidou exploded, raising his voice. Shiki groaned and fell over, head hitting Rima's shoulder. The girl blinked and looked down at him, but didn't comment on it and instead just stole another Pocky stick from him.

"You're so loud, Aidou... must you keep screaming like that?"

"Sh-Shut up, Shiki! And-"

"Aidou... is not incorrect," A cool voice said, startling everyone and causing them to turn their heads. Kaname walked into the room, eyes closed, and didn't stop until he reached the window he usually leaned against. "Takuma's friendship with the Human... is a dangerous one indeed."

Skylar, glaring at Kaname when he said those words, raised her hand and said, "How can it be considered dangerous when Eliza is friends with Irene as well? They're both Vampires!"

The blue-eyed brunette in question scowled from her spot in her seat, propping her elbow up onto the desk with her cheek resting against her palm. It didn't take her long to figure out what Kaname meant. "It's because I grew up around Humans our relationship isn't threatening. Upperclassman Ichijou grew up around Vampires and therefore is weaker to temptation than I am. He may not have had Human blood before, but there's always the chance he could snap no matter how well his self-control is."

"...I'm offended by how little you all trust in me," Ichijou grumbled from his spot at the doorway. "I would never bite Irene-Chan!" If people were startled to see Kaname come in, they were even more surprised to see that Ichijou had listened in on their conversation.

"Uh-oh," Rima began, voice empty, "Ichijou-San heard us."

"We're in trouble now..." Shiki finished, trailing off with an apathetic gaze. Ichijou's frown faded and he smiled, beaming at the two friends who had defended him. "How are things...?"

Ichijou clapped his hands and started to make his way over, declaring, "Well, Irene-Chan woke up, but the Chairman ushered me out of the room so not to disturb Irene-Chan! He made so much food; she should recover in no time!"

Skylar and Eliza visibly relaxed, whereas Aidou looked just as irritated as before. Ruka sighed and Akatsuki sat down, exhausted by everything that was going on. The teacher wondered why he ended up with such a troublesome study group, before writing something on the blackboard and heading out of the room. It wasn't like he was needed anyway; it was just a study group after all.

"Mm... although..." Ichijou paused, thinking back to the girl with the pink ribbons he had seen running earlier. He tapped his finger against his chin, deep in thought.

"...What is it...?"

"Huh? Oh, nothing~!" He waved and laughed, smiling brightly at Shiki. "It's just a thought. I do have something to talk to the Chairman about though, so I guess I'll be heading out again. I can spend extra time tomorrow during lunch studying if need be in order to make up for the lost time tonight. Sorry." He looked at the Dorm Head, who looked anything but approving. "Please excuse me, Kaname."

Shiki and Kaname's eyes pierced into him, but it didn't bother Ichijou any as he hurriedly left the room to go back to the infirmary where the Headmaster was fussing over an injured Irene.

...

"There we go!" Kaien exclaimed with an encouraging smile, pulling the glass of water away. I grimaced and wiped at my mouth with my sleeve, trying my darnest not to throw up the vegetables that were residing within my stomach now. I could still taste the repulsiveness, so it was quite difficult to keep it down. "Are you feeling any better?" He spoke in English, making sure not to push me any further than need be.

Pulling the bowl of soup away from him I downed it, chewing the pickles and rice as quick as I could and swallowing without letting it touch my tongue. I tried to tell myself it was delicious in an attempt to fool myself into liking it, but it failed. It didn't matter _how_ hungry I was; veggies were still veggies and that meant they were disgusting. I had to deal with too much crap involving vegetables when I was younger to like them now.

Dropping the bowl in my lap I took the glass of water from Kaien, who watched in surprise, and downed it as fast as I could to stop the food bubbling back up in my throat. I could taste the vomit and the pickles, and it was _nasty_. Kaien gave a small chuckle.

"Is it really that bad?"

I simply coughed in response, choking on the water and pounding my fist against my chest. Kaien freaked for a moment, stopping only when I waved him off and recovered. I slouched back against the bed, closing my eyes and groaning at the headache that was forming. "I-It's fine," I bit out. "I'm just picky."

"I've noticed," He responded with a frown, concern in his gaze. "Um, Irene, if you don't mind me asking... what happened? Why haven't you been eating?"

I looked at him with tired eyes, wanting nothing more to sleep, and bluntly answered, "I slept through the alarm clock." I also kept missing breakfast, which messed with me quite a bit. Kaien slumped over at my answer, clearly having not expected such a lackluster response. "It's normal."

"That doesn't make it okay!" He argued, "I can't have one of my precious students collapsing due to malnutrition!" I lowered my head as he spoke, feeling guilty for not taking more precaution towards my health. It never really bothered me; I mean, yeah, being sick sucked but... it was fine, wasn't it? _Okay, now I'm being stupid. Irene, shut up. Passing out is not "fine"._ Ugh. "Why don't you come over in the mornings to eat with me, Yuuki, and Kiryuu from now on? Or would you prefer it if I sent Takuma to check on you and make sure you eat?"

Takuma-? Oh... Ichijou. "N-No, it's-it's okay. I just-I'm just lazy." With him being Night Class I doubted he'd be alright with staying up so much in the mornings. Besides, I'm pretty sure the angry male prefect wouldn't like having me there at their kitchen table; he seemed to have a major issue with me. Yuuki would probably be alright with it, but _Zero_...? "Um..."

"Nonsense!" He exclaimed, standing up with a fist against his chest. "As Headmaster of this Academy I hereby _order_ you to have breakfast _and_ dinner with my family from now on! We even invited Miss Rosemary this morning, so you absolutely _can't_ refuse! We can be like a big family!" B-But... won't I just be intruding upon them?  


I bit my lip, uncertain, but before I could protest any further there was a knock on the door and it opened. To my surprise it was Ichijou, the blond peering in with a small smile and wave. I hadn't seen him when I fully woke up, but apparently while I was still in the half-awake stage Kaien had him leave the room so not to frighten me. How Ichijou could be frightening I had no idea, but who was I to say anything when I've only known him for a couple weeks?

"Irene-Chan~!" He greeted cheerfully, making his way over. He said something in Japanese and it took my brain a moment to register and translate it. "How are you feeling? Does your head hurt at all?"

"Ah..." How to respond? Wait, how I even say that word again? "N-No...?" I mean, I had a small headache, but...

He laughed, but his expression hid pain as he spoke. Ichijou said, "That's not very comforting, Irene-Chan. It sounded like you weren't sure of yourself. Now I'm even more worried." I stammered a small apology, ducking my head in embarrassment, and he gave a soft chuckle. He laced his hands behind his back, smiling down at me. His eyes then widened, "Oh! I almost forgot! Chairman, do you have a class photo album of this year at all? There's something I need to check."

"Of course I do, but..." Kaien looked confused. He stood, "Wait right here, Takuma-Kun. I'll be right back." We watched him leave the room, an awkward silence filling the air as neither of us knew what to say.

"...Why aren't... Why aren't you in class?" I hesitantly asked, looking up at him. "Chairman Cross told me it was still Night Class hours..."

Ichijou took a seat beside the bed, staring at me thoughtfully for a few moments. "I came to check on you of course-not to mention request something of the Chairman. But... I am curious about something. I know I shouldn't ask any questions until you've recovered, but this has been bugging me..." I waited for him to continue, knitting my eyebrows together in confusion. "What happened to your neck?"  


My eyes widened and I shot a hand up to the raw flesh, wincing as my fingers brushed against it. "Th-That's..." No. I shouldn't say anything.

"Don't lie to me, Irene-Chan." I stiffened, taking note of the way he spoke. "I've already figured you out. You've been hurting yourself because of Aidou, haven't you?" My silence was his answer, and Ichijou lowered his head and sighed. "I thought so... I suppose I should have been more forceful in convincing you to let me punish him for his actions."

"N-No! I-It's fine!" I almost choked on the words, feeling my eyes start to sting, and I clamped my mouth shut and turned my head. I gripped tightly onto the blankets that were covering my legs. "I-It's fine... It's not your fault."

"Perhaps not, but..." He frowned. Ichijou closed his eyes and I watched as he stood up. Next thing I knew he was sitting on the edge of the bed and a pair of arms were wrapped around me, his hair tickling my ear as he buried his face in my neck. "It's my fault that girl attacked you, and yet ...I'm selfish, Irene-Chan; I want to keep talking to you. I want us to remain friends." He pulled away, arms draped loosely around me, and I could only stare with wide eyes as he smiled sadly. "Is it really such a bad thing to have a wish like that?"

D-Does he have to be so close? It took everything I had not to lean away; I could feel my heart pounding loudly in my chest.

"N-No," I stammered, "I-I mean, I mean it isn't r-really _that_ selfish. I-It's-It's a nice wish a-and-and-" I ended up stuck on the word, repeating multiple times as my brain forgot how to speak and translate Japanese. How am I supposed to react in this situation!? I cleared my throat, deciding on a simple, "S-Sorry..." I opened my mouth to speak again, but only a bunch of English gibberish about how it wasn't really his fault more as it was mine came out. Seeing how he didn't understand half of what I said and that I kept stammering I just stopped talking.

Ichijou was surprised at my reaction, but it didn't take long for his facial features to soften. He leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine, and my breathing almost stopped at the show of affection. "It's o-kay~." He sang softly in English, smiling. Switching back to his normal tongue he chuckled and continued, "I'll make sure to be more careful, so you should be too; you aren't like Yuuki-Chan or Rosemary-San who can handle the angry masses." Wh-What? "I can't have you get hurt like this again. So... from now on, don't go near the gates."

Why is he acting like I was beaten to a pulp? It was only a few scratches and that had happened _days_ ago. Still, I found myself nodding, not trusting myself to speak in fear of my voice shooting up multiple octaves due to the closeness of proximity. _S-Seriously way too close..._ I could feel his breath against my face. I tried to remain calm, to relax my frantic heart, and reminded myself that Ichijou was just a touchy-feely kind of person and that it meant nothing. It wasn't weird at all.

"Thank~ you." He sung, voice practically a whisper by this point. Reaching up and resting a hand gently against my left cheek, Ichijou gave me a sweet, closed-eye smile. "You really are a good girl, aren't you, Irene-Chan?" _N-Not particularly..._ I bit the inside of my cheek, able to feel my face heat up, and hated myself for not being to look away from his gaze.

But, of course, if I didn't keep looking in his eyes I wouldn't have noticed the odd specks of red hidden in the varying shades of green that made up his eyes. Was... that normal? In a strange and artistic way the colors mixing together made his emerald orbs look even more beautiful than before. I knit my eyebrows together, attempting to memorize the design of his eyes. Funnily enough, the artist in me became entranced by those eyes.

"...Irene-Chan...?"

How did the forest green mix in so well with the fern? And the jade twisting into the bright emerald... with the barest hints of vermillion swirling into a brilliant maroon. Jesus christ, they blended so well... Now matter how hard I could try when it came to coloring, digitally or otherwise, I would never be able to make the red look that good with the green.

I was almost disappointed when he pulled away, wanted to stare deeply into those eyes for even longer, but I was forced to snap out of it when he spoke again. "I-Irene-Chan, is something wrong?"

Deciding to be blunt with him, I told him outright, "Your eyes are really pretty." He blinked and recoiled, startled as his cheeks colored into a faint pink. It went nicely against his pale skin.

"E-Eh?" He exclaimed, stammering. I tilted him my head, the migraine finally gone, and was more than surprised when I found it hard to locate the shades of crimson again. "Ah, th-thank you... but, I think Irene-Chan is the real pretty one. Her eyes are so big and sincere." I blinked a couple times, recalling how my eldest sister claimed I had "doe eyes", and bit the inside of my cheek. I tightened my grip on the blankets as I felt that familiar awkward nervousness form. "Ah~ Look at your face! So red~."

"Wh-What?" Was it really? No! I-It doesn't feel red...or maybe that's because I was used to my face being warm? Oh god! I don't know! I brought a hand up to feel my face before covering my twitching mouth with the back of my hand, "I-It's not!" ...Is it? I can't tell. With how strange I felt at this moment, it probably was.

"Yes, it is~ look right there! Blushy, blushy, blush-face~!" I tried to smack his fingers away as he pointed at me, the blond attempting to poke my face, but seeing as I was using my left hand it didn't work that well. I eventually had to use both, face almost as bright as the vermillion that had been hiding in the greens of his eyes, and held his hands pressed together against his chest. An amused smirk was on his face, the blond chuckling down at me. "Even your ears are red, Irene-Chan! You're adorable~."

"Sh-Shut up already, I'm not!"

The bed shifted as he leaned down again, an innocent frown on his face as he asked, "And how come? I think you are." _Aaand_ there goes my face getting turned an even darker red. "Ahaha! You get flustered so easily! You're so honest, Irene-Chan." He held my hands in his own now, switching things around on me without me even realizing, and lowered his voice as he gave another soft chuckle. "You shouldn't deny yourself what you are."

H-Hah? W-Wait, did he mean don't deny I was honest or don't deny I was adorable? I'm so lost. Oh, maybe he meant both? Ah, whatever! That's not the point! Lacing my fingers with his I leaned forward, careful not to knock over the bowl still in my lap, and reached upwards to press the back of his hands against his cheeks, smushing his face. He blinked at the action. "Y-You're just crazy!"

"Crazy...? Pf...Pfft! _Ahaha!_ " He burst out into loud boisterous laughter, almost falling off the bed as he did so. I huffed and pouted, pulling my hands away and crossing my arms like a sulking child. "You're so cute! I-I can't even-Irene-Chan!"

" _Shaddup!_ " I shouted, proceeding to squeal angrily in English afterwards. The way I said it only seemed to make him laugh harder. "Aghhh-I give up!" I threw my hands up in the air, exasperated, only to soon regret that decision as a sudden dizziness overtook me. Ichijou stopped laughing, alarmed.

"Irene-Chan, what's wrong!?" He placed a hand on my shoulder to stop me from falling over. I groaned in response. "M-Maybe I shouldn't have teased you like that... I'm sorry. Here-" Taking the bowl off my lap and setting it down on the chair he had originally been in Ichijou helped me lie down, even going so far as to tuck me in like a mother would their child. For a moment, I was reminded of him and Shiki at the cafe shop. "You should get some rest... I'll come back later tomorrow, alright? You should focus on getting better."

"Nng... If I have to..." I groaned, turning my head and snuggling underneath the blankets until I had a good portion tucked underneath my chin. Normally I would argue, especially since I wanted to talk some more with him, but I seriously felt awful right now so I decided to go along with it. "Thank you..."

"Hm? What for?" My eyes were closed, so I didn't see him look at me. I chose not to give an exact answer, merely shrugging in response and letting out a yawn as I said,

"Everything... I guess. I'm glad... the first person I really talked to here... was you..."

My eyes snapped open when I felt a sudden weight on my torso, Ichijou hugging me once more. "I'm glad, too... Irene-Chan..." He pulled away, a hand on the side of my face, and brushed some of the hair out of my eyes. He then chuckled. "You look really different without your glasses, you know?" It was a random statement, but one I replied to nonetheless.

"So _that's_ why everything was more blurry than normal." Huh. The Headmaster must have taken them off of me and put them away somewhere. Ichijou blinked at me and laughed, retracting his hand, and gave a small wave as he headed out the door.

"Goodnight, Irene-Chan~ Sweet dreams."

"G-Goodnight, Ichijo-" We both paused as I cut myself off, having convinced myself I made a mistake, before I remembered he said I could call him that. "Ichijou-Kun." With one last parting smile, he flickered the lights off and closed the door.

...

Ichijou had only gotten down two hallways, following the scent Kaien had left behind, before he had encountered the rushing Headmaster himself. Kaien wheezed, leaning over with his hands on his knees, and a thick book tucked against his side underneath his right arm. "I... I finally found it... Phew... Takuma-Kun, Takuma-Kun, this is what you were looking for, wasn't it?" Catching his breath Kaien stood, holding it out to the blond. "I-It's the most recent album!" Ichijou took the photobook from the Headmaster gratefully, smiling, and flipped through it until he found the person he was looking it for.

"Ah... Fujita Sakura. So that's her name." She was even wearing the same pink ribbons-how convenient. Kaien blinked innocently, looking completely confused as he peered over Ichijou's shoulder.

"Who? Who? Ah, Fujita-San? Why the sudden interest in her, Takuma-Kun? I thought you had eyes for Irene-Chan!" The blond could feel a bead of sweat trail exasperatedly down his face at the Chairman's words. "Gasp! No! Could it be...? Takuma-Kun, noo! You can't take after that meanie Kaname-Kun! He's already playing with my darling daughter's heart; you can't play with my cute exchange student's as well!" He shook the boy's arms rapidly, nearly knocking the poor Vampire off balance. "I won't let you! Or could it be you want their blood...? Takuma-Kun, _whyyyy!?_ You were such a good boy! _"_ Tears streamed down the Headmaster's face and Ichijou gave him a strained smile, closing the book and placing it on the top of Kaien's head. "E-Eh?"

"Don't take things out of context, Chairman Cross... Irene-Chan and I are only friends." His smile was kinder, but still a little stressed due to Kaien's words. The Headmaster really liked to imagine things, didn't he? No wonder Kaname and he always got into arguments. "But the student I mentioned-Fujita Sakura-San? She's someone who hurt Irene-Chan a few days ago. Fujita-San is the one who caused the cut on Irene-Chan's chin and hand. She didn't bring it up to me until recently because she didn't wish for Fujita-San to get into trouble."

"A-And you're telling me this...?" Kaien's eyes were inquiring as he calmly pulled the book off of his head, a look of seriousness forming on his face. "As the Headmaster of this school, naturally I don't tolerate bullying, but the fact that you told me Irene-Chan didn't wish for Fujita-San to get into trouble makes me wonder _why_ you're telling me this. What are you planning, Takuma-Kun?" Kaien then blinked, a look of surprise flashing across his face. "I never thought I'd be asking _you_ that instead of Kaname-Kun... it feels weird."

Ichijou closed his eyes and gave a small smile. "It does, doesn't it? But I suppose it just goes to show how serious I am about keeping Irene-Chan as a friend."

"Takuma-Kun..."

Ichijou pat Kaien on the shoulder, walking passed him, and said quietly, "Please find a suitable punishment for Fujita-San... lest I end up punishing her myself?" The smile never faltered, not once as he stepped farther and farther away, and in the darkness of the hallways only the slightest hints of red flashed in his eyes before fading away.   


	10. An Uncertain Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which there is a grumpy Zero and a flustered Irene. Dinner conversations, plus bubbly blond Vampire? Lovely. So many bad pick-up lines...

The Headmaster had moved me from the nurse's office to the guest room he had in his private quarters, wanting to keep an eye on me for an extra day or two to make sure I wasn't going to randomly pass out again.

I didn't join them for dinner like he had asked, instead choosing to eat quietly in the room he had temporarily loaned to me. He had been the one to bring me the food, and as I sat and ate he asked me questions about how my "friendship with the Night Class" was going.

"Why do you always say it like that?" I asked, curled up on the bed with knees pulled up to my chest, a plate of food resting right beside me.. I felt uncomfortable leaving the room, not wishing to intrude any further into someone else's territory or in an unfamiliar place. Even if he said it was okay I still felt weird about it. It probably had to do with the fact that I barely even knew the guy or his children. Yuuki was sweet, certainly, but Zero was mean and gruff. I'm certain he's a good person, his lilac eyes just looked sad sometimes, but I wasn't about to attempt talking to him any time soon. "You act like it's some kind of... _feat_ to interact with them."

I didn't understand it. I took a small bite of the roll that was on my plate, chewing slowly as I thought about my next words. I swallowed, raising my head to look at Kaien in confusion. He waited patiently, looking quite interested in what it was I had to say.

"They're people, too, so... why?" It's not like they're famous celebrities. And... "Isn't everybody in this school rich? Why are the Night Class students so isolated from the Day Class? Why does the Day Class idolize them so much? How come-" I cut myself off, uncertain as to what I was going to say. I had so many questions, most of them likely to not have any answers. Half of it was probably just due to me overthinking everything, as the more I thought about it the more I seemed to notice. I decided to settle on the thing that was most strange. I asked, "How come the Day Class and the Night Class never talk...?"

Kaien looked as though he had expected such an inquiry. His glasses flashed, the light flickering upon them and hiding his eyes for a mere moment. He moved and the light vanished, giving access to the emotions within the brown orbs once more. "The Night Class is an elite group of students, different from those who go to the common Day Class, and while they don't interact much we _do_ have a few festivities. We have St. Xocolatl's day, the day where all the Day Class students can hand out gifts to the Night Class, and we also have a ball event where all the lovely young ladies can dress up and dance with the Night, or Day, Class student of their choice!"

Only those two...? One would think, what with this being Japan and all, they would have far more school festivities. I thought they would have a cultural festival, or a music festival, or (as much as I'm pretty sure Eliza would be the only happy about it) a sports festival. "You guys don't have school dances or anything?" I asked, confused as I thought about all the dances my old school back in America always seemed to throw. "Not a Christmas or Halloween event?"

"No... why? Did you have those back in America?" He kindly asked. Kaien was smiling, showing he meant no ill will; his eyes showed genuine curiosity. "Cross Academy is a bit different from other normal schools, so we haven't established too terribly many activities."

"O-Oh... " That would make sense, I guess. I didn't think about how different rich people schools would be from normal schools. "Um, we kinda did... I-I didn't participate in them, but Eliza and Skylar did. You'd have to ask them for the details, but there were dances year-round for some of the holidays. Th-There was the Winter Dance... and the Halloween Dance... a-and I think a Valentine's Day dance?" I counted off with my fingers, though why I did so I wasn't entirely sure since I didn't even know the number of how many dances the school had. "A New Year's... a-and... I think that's it? There are probably more, but you'd have to ask Eliza and Skylar." I gave a small breath of a laugh, feeling like an idiot. Why on earth did I bring this subject up? Wait, _was_ I the one who brought up the subject about school events? I don't even remember.

"That many dances?" Kaien looked surprised. "Hmm... that would be nice to have, thinking about it." He brought a hand up and rubbed his chin, deep in thought. "The Day Class students would be ecstatic... and it would bring more chances to unite the two... Alright!" He slammed a fist down onto the palm of his other hand. He beamed down at me, "It's official! You, Rosemary-San, Ferret-San, and Takuma-Kun are going to help me plan out more activities to bring the Night Class and the Day Class closer together!"

"W-Wait, what? Why's Ichijou-Kun getting involved?"

"-Kun?" Kaien blinked at the new honorific before grinning even broader. I knit my eyebrows and tilted my head, lost. I jumped when the Headmaster suddenly clapped his hands together. "Why, because you two are already such good friends! He's also the Vice President of the Night Class and the Vice Dorm Head, so it would be great if he could help plan things! He and Ferret-San, both being from the Night Class, could get some ideas from the other students and see if our plans have their approval or not! You and Rosemary-San are from the Day Class however, but that means you can do the same with those students!"

"But neither of us are Vice Presidents," I pointed out, just getting more and more confused by the second. What was happening? How did a conversation about what made the Night Class so special evolve into me and my friends helping increase friendship between the two classes?

"No, but you're foreigners," he stated with a grin. I blinked. Kaien snapped his fingers and pointed at me with a smirk, "And foreigners, not to mention transfer students, have _everyone's_ attention."

Finding that fact a bit disturbing, I couldn't help but comment in a cheerful voice, "Oh! How lovely..."

The next morning I slept in, being kept from class thanks to the overly fussy Headmaster, and didn't wake up until I felt someone lightly shaking me. "Irene-Chan~!" A voice whispered softly in a sing-song voice. "It's time to wake up, sleepy head! Headmaster Cross made breakfast. Doesn't it smell good?"

My nose twitched and I grumbled something unintelligible, shifting in the bed only to roll due to a weight from the side pressing the edge down. I yelped, my side hitting what felt like a leg, and opened my eyes groggily with a blink. I stared at the blond beauty chuckling down at me, my face twisting into that of confusion.

"Ichijou-Kun...?"

"Good morning~." He greeted, beaming brightly. It was so blinding I thought I was staring directly into the sun, so in response I turned my head and buried my face in the side of his thigh. "Eh?" He was startled for a moment before laughing, getting off the edge of the bed and standing. He set the plate of food he was carrying down on the nightstand beside the bed and leaned down, shaking me as I pressed my face into the blankets. "It's time to get up, "sleeping in late-San"~ The breakfast the Headmaster made looks very good, so if you don't get up now and eat it I'll eat it for you. Ah~ Look at this bacon!"

As if to make fun of me he grabbed it and waved it near my face, giving me the chance to smell it, and then the next thing I knew there were crunching noises of someone chewing. My eyes shot opened and I sat up, completely alarmed and disbelieving of Ichijou's actions. He just smirked and licked some of the bacon grease off of his fingers, eyes sparkling mischievously.

"What do you know; the Headmaster's cooking is really good! I might just help myself to another~!"

 _What; no!_ I want bacon! I haven't had bacon in ages! Fight me, Ichijou Takuma! Seeing him reach for another off the plate I lunged, grabbing and holding onto the arm he was using and weighing it down as much as I could.

"Eh? Irene-Chan, what are you doing? I thought you weren't hungry?"

"Fight me, Ichijou! That's _my_ bacon!" I don't care if I haven't brushed my teeth before eating yet; I _want_ my bacon! My gaze flickered over to the plate, still holding onto him, and I gasped, "Are those eggs!? Yes!" Why is this making me so happy? _American food, yes!_ I then scowled, remembering what he did, and glared up at the amused blond I was clinging onto. He didn't seem to care that I called him without honorifics. "Give me back my bacon!"

"But I already ate it, Irene-Chan!" He said, laughing."I can't give it back." I shook him a little, keeping one arm locked around his while grabbing at his sleeve with my other hand. Oddly enough he wasn't dressed in the normal Night Class uniform; he was wearing a white button-up underneath a long-sleeved blue vest, the outfit completed by a pair of khakis. I'm not going to lie, I really liked the outfit. Button-ups, sweaters, turtlenecks-they make me happy, and the outfit actually looked really good on him. But, on the other hand-

"I dun care~! Give it back, you monster! How could you eat my bacon like that!? I trusted you!"

"I dare say that eating food that someone else refused to touch hardly makes me a monster." He mused, still grinning. Why I oughta-I'm gonna smack that look off of his face! Ichijou gave a dramatic sigh, "And I even woke up extra early in the morning to come visit you~ if this is how I'm treated I might just go back to Kaname."

I paused, looking up at him with wide eyes. "You did?" What time is it right now?

"Mmhm. The Headmaster even invited me to have breakfast with you all, so I didn't eat anything asides from that slice of bacon now. Oh, the woe that is me~ I'm so hungry, too." He pouted, closing his eyes as he lowered his head and shook it. "And Irene-Chan is being so cruel when I've been nothing but worried about her..." He sniffled, tears welling up in the corner of his eyes. "And you're staring at me with such an empty expression, too!"

"You... haven't ate?" He paused in his crocodile tears, furrowing his eyebrows at me when he saw I was no longer complaining.

"N-No..."

I released him and sat back down on the bed. Then, picking up the plate he set down, I held it out to him. Ichijou blinked.

"Eh?"

"I'm mean, but I'm not _that_ mean. I can share." When I saw he made no movement to act I picked up a slice of bacon and held it out to him. "Here; you can have it." His green eyes widened, and seeing him _still_ in shock I jokingly waved the slice at him and said, "Say "ahh~"." I was grinning, not really expecting him to do as told, so when he leaned down and bit the slice of bacon out of my hand _just_ as the door to the room opened I was a little more than surprised.

"U-Upperclassman Ichijou, R-Ren-Chan, I-I-I'm so sorry!" Yuuki gave a startled bow, her face a bright red, and she exited the room faster than she had went in, slamming the door shut behind her. I was frozen, left as still as a statue from what Ichijou just did. I had let go of the bacon when Ichijou bit it, so it dangled out of his mouth as he stood, and he had munched on it innocently as he broke it in half.

"Sh-She... You..." I didn't know what I was more stunned by; Yuuki's complete misunderstanding or Ichijou thinking I seriously wanted him to bite the bacon out of my hand instead of grabbing it like a normal person. "Y-You actually... bit it..."

Ichijou let out a curious hum as he chewed, finishing off the slice. He looked down at me from the corner of his eyes, a small smirk playing at his smiling lips as he licked the bacon grease off his fingers. "Well, of course. You asked me to. Oh?" Surprise flashed across his face and he laughed. "Irene-Chan's blushing again~. You get flustered easily, don't you?"

I-I don't... just... _what?_

"Ohh, ohh~ My turn, my turn!" He knelt down, taking the plate from me, and scooped up some eggs. With a completely innocent face he held the fork up and sang, "Ahhh~... Eh? Why aren't you biting it? Irene-Chan, this isn't fair. I want to see you eat like this, too~!" He pouted childishly at me and I could only stare with wide eyes at the scene in front of me. I... wasn't entirely sure how I felt about this. I felt awkward, certainly, but also embarrassed and... nervous? Or was I uncomfortable? I wasn't entirely sure what my heart was feeling at that moment.

But, reluctant to let him down despite feeling completely ridiculous as I did so, I grabbed onto the part of the fork he wasn't holding so to make sure it didn't fall. He blinked in surprise when I did so, and I tried my darnest to ignore the warmth coming off of his hand when my fingers accidentally brushed against his as I leaned down and bit onto the fork. Making sure I got all the food I quickly pulled away, clamping a hand over my mouth as I refused to look at the blond.

Ichijou remained grinning like an idiot, which made me wonder how someone as goofy as him managed to get in the Night Class and be considered as an "elite" when we had Skylar who was super smart stuck in the "normal" Day Class.

He did keep his promise to visit me though-which was something I... thought was actually very nice. I hadn't really expected him to, but he went through with it... I wanted to thank him for visiting me, for keeping the promise, but I found it a bit difficult to do so as of right now thanks to him grinning like that at me. I chewed awkwardly on the food, reluctant to say anything after what just happened, and forced myself to swallow. "Wh-What?" I stammered, biting the inside of my lip. "What's with that look?"

"Hm? Nothing~ I was just thinking about how cute Irene-Chan is when she's embarrassed."

Freaking hell- "W-We already discussed that and- _Yuuki!_ Oh god, Yuuki-Chan!" Startling Ichijou I fell back and rolled until I was on the other side of the bed, and continued to roll until I fell off and landed on all fours.   
  


"I-Irene-Chan, what are you-!?"

I ignored him and shot up, scrambling to the door and slamming face-first into it as I failed to turn the doorknob completely. "Oof! Door there," I groaned, grimacing at the new bruise forming on my face, and stepped back until the door completely opened and I stumbled out into the hallway. I looked back-and-forth for a moment, not really remembering which way led to the dining room, before taking a random guess and going left. I could hear Ichijou crying out and chasing after me, but I didn't stop until I reached the end and opened a door that I could hear Yuuki and the Headmaster's voice in. "Yuuki-Chan, it's not what you-! _GYAH!"_

Kaien showed no mercy towards us as he charged, tackling and pulling us both into a spine-crushing, bone-breaking group hug. He held so tight neither of could breathe, and as he spun us around both our souls threatened to metaphorically leave our bodies. He rubbed his face against Ichijou's, tears streaming like waterfalls, and any all screams I had to scream about my feet being lifted off the ground were muffled due to my face being buried and pressed against the Headmaster's chest.

"My darling students are growing up so fast!" He wailed, sniffling loudly with a smile on his face, spinning on his heel in a dance, mine and Ichijou's legs flailing in the air, "To think love would blossom at this stage... Oh, it's just too much for my heart to handle~! I knew I was right about your feelings towards each other!" He gave another squeeze, Ichijou letting out a wheeze, and by this point I was just completely limp. I couldn't even tell you if I was crying or not anymore; I lost all feeling in my limbs.

Kaien finally stopped spinning and knelt down, releasing us and allowing us to drop to the floor like deadweights. Yuuki let out a small shriek and dashed over, trying to make sure we were still breathing, and Zero walked into the room utterly confused. He blinked, stared at the sight, sneered at Ichijou on the ground, and walked passed towards the kitchen to get food.

"I'm not going to ask," Was all he said. Kaien and Yuuki were completely panicking, and by the time the slightest bit of color had returned to Ichijou's naturally pale cheeks all three of them were freaking out for I was still unmoving.

"Oh gods! Irene-Chan? Irene-Chan? AHHH! TAKUMA-KUN, TAKUMA-KUN, I KILLED IRENE-CHAN!" He clung onto the blond boy, wailing in horror and despair. "I-I killed Irene-Chan; what do we do~!?"

"D-Do we hide the body?" Yuuki asked nervously, looking completely terrified. Her face was so pale, like all the life had been drained out of her. "O-Oh god, Headmaster, Upperclassman Ichijou-what if the police find out!?"

Ichijou gave a weak chuckle, a strained smile on his face, and I groaned as he placed a hand on my back and shook me. "I-I think it's time to get up now, Irene-Chan."

"It hurts~!" I whined, tears stinging my eyes. My bones felt like they had been cracked, snappled, and popped. I was also enjoying hugging the floor a bit too much, having been certain I was going to face death if my feet remained off the floor any longer. "I think I'm dying~."

Ichijou chuckled at my words and rolled me over, forcing me into a sitting position. "You'll be fine~! Come on, come on; let's go get the breakfast you left behind and get a seat at the table, okay?" I didn't stop the complaint that escaped as he pulled me onto my feet, but I did hold onto his arm gratefully to help keep my balance. Kaien's hug had taken a lot of strength away that I just recovered, so now I had another headache and as I walked everything wobbled.

Everything also looked slightly blurry, but that was only because I wasn't wearing my glasses. _What did... the Chairman say... earlier?_ He said something when he hugged me and Ichijou, but I was so lightheaded I couldn't hear properly, not to mention I was squished between the two guys which had made everything muffled, so _that_ didn't help at all. "Nng... I don't feel good..." My head wouldn't stop throbbing.

Ichijou looked down at me and gave a small smile. "It'll be alright. The Chairman will take good care of you; not to mention you have me visiting you, so I have to say you're in good hands. Though I don't know the first thing about nursing." He gave a small laugh. I grumbled, resting my forehead against his arm as he stopped to open a door. We were already out in the hallway, Yuuki and Kaien abandoned in the dining room. "What's that?"

"That wasn't very comforting..." Resting my head against his arm like I was once again drew my attention to our massive height difference. As if I wasn't short enough already I had to be barefoot and he had to wear shoes. "Freaking giant..."

"Ehh? It's not nice to make fun of people, Irene-Chan." He pouted, stopping once more to open the door to the guest room I was staying in. I gave an unintelligible response and released his arm, wobbling over to the desk where the plate was. I plopped a piece of bacon in my mouth, picked up the plate, and made my way back over to Ichijou who was watching with amused eyes. I'm beginning to think he just finds everything I do amusing. "Hungry?"

My response muffled I held out the plate to him, quickly chewing and swallowing the food in my mouth, and offered, "Bacon?"

He gave a small laugh and took the peace offering.

It was halfway back to the dining room that I finally figured out what the Headmaster had said and faltered in my walking, accidentally drawing out a concerned reaction from Ichijou, and I ended up pulling away from him awkwardly as I thought of the accusations.

It was also halfway there that we encountered Skylar, who happened to be carrying a bag of my things. I asked what she was doing here, of which she responded that she was here to drop of some of my stuff since I was going to be in the guest room for a few days, and mentioned how Kaien had invited her to breakfast.

"What's Upperclassman Ichijou doing here though?" She asked curiously, looking up at the six foot tall giant. "Shouldn't you be sleeping?" She raised an eyebrow at him, then looked down at me who was innocently munching on another slice of bacon-offering another slice to Ichijou who took it gratefully.

He answered before eating, explaining, "I promised Irene-Chan I'd visit her and, just like you, I was invited by the Chairman..." His gaze turned thoughtful, but then he shrugged and just started to munch on the bacon. Ichijou offered his arm to me again, forever smiling, and instead of fully grabbing onto it I just latched onto his sleeve like a small child and followed him back to the dining room with Skylar following.

When we got back Yuuki was apologizing like crazy for "barging in on us". I was so confused until I realized she was talking about when I fed Ichijou the bacon earlier. "N-No! No, no, no, we're not-" I almost dropped my plate trying to explain what had happened, so Skylar took it from me and started to eat off of it. "We're not-We're not-it was a misunderstanding!" My voice went up so many octaves I flinched, but nobody else seemed to be affected. I assumed they were just used to it due to all the squealing fans at the gate every day. "Ichijou-Kun's just a friend!"

Ichijou blinked, snapping out of whatever daze he was in, and pointed at himself, eyes round and big when he was mentioned. "Eh? Me? What did I do? What's a misunderstanding?" My eyebrows raised and I stared up at him in disbelief, wondering if he hit his head. The lightbulb finally went off in his brain as he exclaimed in realization, "Oh! Are you talking about when Irene-Chan shared her food with me and Yuuki-Chan walked in?"

Skylar snorted so hard she ended up choking on the food she was trying to swallow. Zero himself was coughing, having been eating at the table, but I don't think it was for the same reason. Zero actually looked like someone had drew all over his favorite manga. Kaien had big sparkling eyes- the same eyes had when he tackled me and Ichijou. I couldn't help but face-palm at my new friend's words.

"Why...? Just... Just _why_ , Ichijou?" I found myself calling him without honorific again, but once more he either didn't notice or didn't mind. I think I was just too exasperated to bother with honorifics. Either way it didn't matter, because he still looked like a lost and confused puppy as he tilted his head at me.

"What? Why; what did I say wrong!?" I just waved him off, sighing as my headache threatened to grow, but he still looked confused. Zero and Skylar finally stopped dying on their food, and Kaien quit with the goofy eyes. He just looked semi-disappointed, especially when Ichijou finally decided to help clear things up and explain that I shared my food with him because he hadn't had breakfast yet.

Yuuki, however, was still freaking out. When she saw it was silent she spoke up to break the ice, apologizing rapidly for the misunderstanding and for letting Kaien "attack" us like he did, and even apologized for my fainting because, and I quote, "As a member of the disciplinary committee it is part of my job to make sure that every student at this academy is safe, and I failed in that duty when you fainted."

She went so far as to give the deepest and most respectful bow she could, looking as though she should be reprimanded. Her face was such a bright pink, eyes even getting a little watery and red, and seeing how upset and nervous she looked just pulled at my heartstrings. My lips pulled into a thin line and I found myself looking between her and Ichijou for a moment, debating my course of action, and had a temporary freak out as I didn't know what to do.

Do I walk over and tell her to lift her head up? Do I just stand here and say it's okay!? Ichijou shrugged at me, not being much help at all, and I made a conflicted expression before tentatively making my way over, stepping forward and back before actually walking towards her. Yuuki stiffened when I neared and actually _flinched_. I felt like I got slapped in the face seeing that.

Not knowing what else to do, I gave her an awkward pat on the head. "It's... It's okay. Y-You can... You can stand... I-I was fine with the first apology; accidents happen. P-People make mistakes, you know?"

Yuuki slowly stood back up, wine-colored eyes big and wide. "Y-You're... not mad at me, Ren-Chan?"

I gave a small grin at her words, the rocks pounding loudly inside my skull, and offered a small laugh. "I-I don't think I have the capacity to get mad... Besides, how could I ever be angry with you? You're adorable!"

Hands against his face Kaien gushed, "Isn't she though~? My darling Yuuki's just so precious!" Ichijou chuckled and Skylar laughed. The plate was empty now. "But, anyway," he cleared his throat, "How about we all get some food in our bellies before we continue this conversation any further? It's going to get cold and I don't think Kiryuu-Kun wants to eat by himself any longer."

As if on cue Zero shot a glare in our direction. I promptly hid behind Yuuki, she being the closest Human being to me at that moment, and Skylar just stuck her tongue out at the silver-haired male. Ichijou tried to be the mediator, to calm him down, but it just seemed to irritate him more.

It was a wonder how Kaien actually managed to get us all to sit down at the table and eat-even more so keep Zero there without him running off. Seeing Skylar cast occasional glances in his direction and vice versa, I couldn't help but wonder if she had anything to do with it.   

...

"Hah?" At the Headmaster's next words Zero was the first one to protest. "You can't be serious! You're trying to find more ways to get _them_ closer to the Day Class!?" Kaien clicked his tongue disapprovingly at Zero's words and said,

"Now, now, Kiryuu-Kun; you shouldn't be so fast to decline. I think it's a wonderful idea! Don't you, Takuma-Kun?" The blond in question gave a small smile and nod.

"It does sound like it would be fun... and I'm certain that a good portion of the Night Class would be willing. It's getting Kaname's approval I'm worried about." Yuuki looked up at the mention of the Dorm President, eyes brightening just a little.

"U-Upperclassman Kaname?"

"Mm." Ichijou confirmed, "The Night Class only acts upon his will, so we would need his approval if we are to hold any more dances asides from the ball. I think a Fall dance would be wonderful; or even a Halloween event of some sort."

Skylar piped up then, grinning from ear-to-ear as she took a bite of some pancakes, "How about we have our own little version of Halloween? We could have some of the students dress up or something and try to scare the rest!"

"But we'd need groups," Yuuki spoke up with a worried frown, "People would have to pair up in case others got lost or something..."

The Headmaster nodded in agreement at that while Zero just scowled. "Yuuki's got a good point there. I think groups of two or three would be best. We could have volunteer scarers." Volunteer scarers...? Would that work? I feel like most people would just prefer to pair up with a heck ton of the Night Class... but who knows?

I kept my mouth shut throughout most of the discussion, not really knowing what to suggest, and between the four of them- Kaien, Yuuki, Ichijou, and Skylar-they were able to come up with some pretty good ideas. No one really asked for mine or Zero's opinion on the matter, though I don't think he cared much, and so I just ate quietly as I sat there feeling completely out of place.

I wondered why I was still at the table even after I finished eating, considering I had nothing to add to the conversation. Every time someone else spoke I would turn my head to look at them, and seeing how Ichijou was now speaking I was looking up at him. I didn't have anything to input into the conversation, and since I had nothing better to do I observed Ichijou as he spoke, taking note of the way he held himself and his overall appearance.

I already knew Ichijou was more attractive than the average person, if having so many fans weren't enough to tell you that, but I always just looked at him with an artistic perspective when it came to appearance. Now that I was paying less attention to the anatomy and colors, I came to realize just _how_ attractive he actually was.

Acacia honey hair fell messily in waves around his delicate face, giving him a softer look, and his round, almond shaped eyes were outlined with dark blond lashes that gave his green eyes a brilliant glow. He was pale, but not unhealthily so, and despite being tall and slender his shoulders were actually rather broad. He had a well-defined jawline and neck, and his hands were completely callous-free, each movement filled with elegance even as he waved his fingers in front of my face-

 _Wait, what?_ I jolted, looking up at him in alarm. Ichijou was leaning down, face in front of mine, and amusement twinkled in his green eyes. He was grinning, expression partially curious as he chuckled and said, "You're staring, Irene-Chan~." I didn't know why I got as flustered as I did; I was just making an observation, but I found myself choking and stammering on my words as I tried to apologize.

It was only when I accidentally bit down my tongue trying to say something in Japanese did I realize what a perfect opportunity this was to use a cheesy line I normally used on Skylar and Eliza. Ichijou was still smiling as I struggled to speak, Kaien and Yuuki chatting away with Skylar trying to pull Zero into the conversation, and the blond just laughed as he watched me fight trying to come up with a response.

After a moment I stopped trying to speak, focusing on regaining my bearings, and tried to build up enough to confidence to say speak. "I-It's..." His smile seemed to widen, the male keeping his hands planted firmly on the chair between his legs as he looked at me expectantly, patiently waiting for me to finish talking. Skylar stopped reaching over Yuuki to pester Zero and instead looked on at us curiously, shoulders shaking a little as she figured out what was about to happen. "It's not _my_ fault I was blinded by your beauty!"

Oh damn. I said it. I actually managed to say it. Phew, I'm proud of myself now. I tried my darnest to ignore Skylar in the background, the girl clamping a hand over her mouth to stop herself from bursting out into laughter, but giggles still escaped her. I kept my gaze focused on the startled Ichijou, anxiously watching his reaction. Instead of completely freaking out like I feared, he just blinked dumbfoundedly.

"...Eh?"

Unfortunately, I had said the line so loud everyone at the table had heard it, thus forth causing it to grow _silent._ It was so quiet you could hear the annoyed Zero breathing at the head of the table, but maybe that was just because I was sitting "next" to him. He and Kaien had taken both ends, with Ichijou and Skylar on the sides closest to Kaien and Yuuki and I on the sides closest to Zero.

I almost regretted saying the line, feeling incredibly humiliated right now, but I refused to feel ashamed. Bad jokes and lines were part of being friends with me, so if he didn't like it then... well, he can either put up with it or leave. "Why, if you stood in front of a mirror and held up eleven roses, you would see _twelve_ of the most beautiful things in the world!" I held up a finger as I said that, pointing at him when I said "twelve", and he blinked again.

A few snorts escaped Skylar and Yuuki went to see if she was okay, the purple-haired girl laughing so hard tears were in her eyes and no sound was coming out. Her face was a bit red from lack of oxygen. Kaien looked highly startled too, if only for a moment, before he started snorting. His laughter died down to simple chuckles though, which was a relief. Zero looked like he wanted to impale me with the fork.

Ichijou was completely still, eyes wide in surprise as he stared at me. "Y-You..." He was frozen. I waved a hand nervously in front of his face, suddenly very scared for his wellbeing. When he didn't react or show any intention of responding I reached out tentatively and poked him in the cheek.

"Y... You okay? H-Hello?" He gave no response so I stood up, lightly tapping him on the head. "I-Is anyone in there? I-Ichijou-Kun? I-Is Ichijou Takuma.exe still working?" Oh god, I broke him! I-I think I broke him! I put my hands on his shoulders, ready to shake him lightly, but Yuuki speaking up stopped me.

"I-I don't think you should do that, R-Ren-Chan. U-Upperclassman Ichijou is..." The poor girl looked so worried, but also greatly confused. However, while I wanted to hug her my attention was solely focused on the stunned blond in front of me.

"S-Skylar! Skylar, I-I think I broke him!"

She burst out into laughter, unable to muffle her giggles anymore, and by this point my vision was starting to blur. I asked Kaien for help, but he looked just as confused as I did. A hand then grabbed my wrist, pulling me back down into my chair, and I looked at Ichijou in alarm. He had his other hand on his forehead, eyebrows knitted together, and his green eyes were filled with concern. He released my wrist and raised that hand up to my forehead, as if checking my temperature.

"You don't _feel_ feverish," He mumbled to himself in confusion, snapping out of his daze. "Maybe a side effect...?" I stared blankly at him for a moment before gaping, realizing what he was implying. Ichijou looked genuinely lost.

I pulled away and protested against his assumptions. "I-I'm not sick!" I actually felt a bit offended by that.

"You're not?" He questioned, expression that of utter confusion. "Then why are-" He never got to finish, Skylar wheezing and gasping for breath as she choked out,

"A-Are you the baker's son?" The blond turned his head to look at her, still not understanding what was happening. "B-Because you got some sweet buns!"

Hearing that joke I couldn't help but groan, sinking down in my chair and burying my face in my hands. " _Why~?_ Why that one!?" I wailed, regretting any and all decisions I had ever made that caused my life to lead up to this moment. My pick-up lines had been cute and innocent, yet _that_ one was... ugh... Sure this was a normal occurrence, but I don't think Ichijou was prepared for that level of jokes. I should have kept my mouth shut.

"Aw, come on Irene!" Skylar grinned, leaning over the table a little, "I know you're sweet, but if you keep this up you'll give us _all_ cavities!" Hearing the challenge I sat up, staring at her from between the gaps in my fingers before I pulled my hands away and smirked. _This_ I was comfortable with. _This_ I could discuss without fear of screwing up. Bad jokes, puns, and pick-up lines... Heck yeah.

"Honey, please," I told her, crossing my legs and propping my elbow up on my thigh, resting my fingers lightly against my face in what was supposed to be a seductive fashion, "You _must_ calm down. Your words are as smooth as the butter on my bread; I'm not sure if I'll be able to handle much more."

Skylar let out a whistle, smiling widely, "Whew! I hope you know CPR, because you totally just took my breath away!" I laughed, giving up on the pose and waved my hand in the air before pressing it against my chest.

"Is there a science room nearby? Because I can just _feel_ the chemistry between us." Everyone was watching in what I wasn't sure was either awe or horror. They were all probably so befuddled. I felt a bit bad, but this was so much fun.

My best friend snorted, somehow managing not to choke on the juice she was trying to take a drink out of. "Y-You must be a positive ion and I a negative ion, for the _attraction_ between us is just so strong!"

Ichijou looked like an adorable lost puppy for a while, until halfway through his eyes lit up in realization. "Oh! So you weren't being serious?" He laughed and scratched his head, giving a closed-eye, sparkly grin, "I was worried you were going to turn into one of those scary fangirls for a moment! Haha! I'm so relieved." At those words I stared at him in disbelief. Ichijou seemed to not notice my shock, for he remained smiling. "Wait- _aw~_ That means you weren't actually complimenting me!" Ichijou leaned over again and pouted at me. "How come you're always complimenting everyone except me?"

I held a hand up in the air for a moment, awkwardly pointing at him, and said as I waved said finger, "B-Because they don't go calling me a-a-a scary fangirl!"

"But that's because you aren't scary." He replied easily, grinning. "Irene-Chan is like a kitten without claws- fluffy and cute, but not dangerous." I paused, staring at him when he said that as I tried to come up with a response, before lowering my head and scowling as I tried to be upset.

"W-Well, I-I still take offense to that. Y-You can't say you thought I was going to be a scary fangirl and-and then say I'm _not_ scary." His eyes went wide.

"Eh? That upset you? I'm sorry... that wasn't my intention." He looked a bit sad, and seeing that I gave up and sighed. I wasn't even angry, anyway. "A-Are you mad at me?" I opened my mouth to tell him that I _wasn't_ , but Zero must have been itching for a fight because he just couldn't hold himself back from saying,

"Well, of _course_ she's mad. You assumed she was one of those morons who went "kyaa, kyaa, kyaa" over your ugly face."

"U-Ugly?" Ichijou looked startled, though not from the insult. " _Uwah~!_ I-Is this true, Irene-Chan!?" He grabbed onto my sleeve and tugged, "You're really that mad at me!?"

"N-No, I'm not-"

"But Kiryuu-Kun just said you were! You aren't lying, are you?"

"N... _No!_ " It went quiet again and I pulled away, bringing my hands up to cover my ears. "I-I'm not! I'm not mad!" Yuuki scolded Zero, scowling at him and hitting upside the head. He huffed and turned his head stubbornly, stiffening for a moment when he felt a glare directed at him from Skylar. He just sent a glare back. "Wh-Why are you always bullying Ichijou-Kun!?" I finally snapped, looking at Zero for an answer while stumbling over my Japanese. Ichijou, who was still clinging onto my sleeve, looked surprised.

I just don't understand it. Ever since I met Ichijou and Zero, the male prefect had been nothing but mean to my blond friend. He's even been glaring at us this whole breakfast, saving the more venomous of the glares for Ichijou, and it had even started getting to the point where I thought about asking Skylar to switch me seats because I was next to Zero at the table. It's amazing at how much more intense the glares can get just by proximity.

I'm probably biased, especially since I don't know him that well, but I just can't imagine Ichijou doing something to harm or hurt someone. He's so nice, and every time I see him he's so bright and bubbly. His smiles, though not always genuine, were warm and kind. _Maybe that's what makes him dangerous,_ a part of me thought. I felt bad for thinking it, him being nothing but nice to me so far, but I couldn't help but wonder. I remembered the night with Aidou; Ichijou's smile had been threatening and borderline scary. It was the same when he had me tell him about the girl who hurt me.

But to purposefully go out of his way to _hurt_ someone? If Zero hadn't done anything bad, I don't see any reason why Ichijou would go after him. Maybe Zero just had a grudge against someone in the Night Class and found himself hating them all? It's childish, but it's the only thing I can think of that makes sense.

I was still thinking when I heard sniffles coming from Kaien's direction, and when I turned my head to look at him I saw he was crying. "My son is going through such a rebellious phase..." He sobbed, hands covering his face. "Why must you always insult my beautiful Night Class students? They're the Day Class' idols!" He wailed, and probably wouldn't have stopped if Zero hadn't stood and slammed his hands onto the table. I squeaked and jumped, instinctively grabbing onto the arm Ichijou was using to hold on to me. The blond looked down at me, smiling a little, but didn't say anything on the matter as he watched in concern and curiosity at the scene taking place in front of him.

"You know why!" Zero growled, infuriated. "They're all _beasts_ and yet you're letting some _simpleton_ march right out into the very middle of them! How senile are you!?"

"How rude," Kaien sniffled. "I'm not senile."

"Zero, behave!" Yuuki stood, frowning at her brother's actions. "You shouldn't go insulting Upperclassman Ichijou and Ren-Chan like that! They're good people, you know that!"

Skylar tapped her chin thoughtfully, "Only a few of the Night Class students could be considered "beasts" in my opinion. A lot of them are actually very friendly." Ichijou appeared grateful for her words and Kaien looked extremely happy.

"I don't really mind if you insult me," Ichijou then spoke, talking in a polite tone and giving Zero a frighteningly calm closed-eye smile, "But I'd appreciate it if you didn't go so far as to bring Irene-Chan or the Chairman into your hatred of us."

Zero didn't respond to any of them, but did send a glare in _both_ Skylar and Ichijou's directions. Hearing Ichijou's words I couldn't help but stare at him, unable to believe what it was I was hearing.

"Y-You-Why-" Shut up. No. You don't know what it is you're talking about. You're the outsider here, Irene. My lips curled back a little and I ground my teeth together, squeezing my eyes shut as I shook my head before demanding as I looked away from Ichijou and towards Zero, "Why are you always so mean to them!? Just-Just what did Ichijou-Kun do to you to make you hate him so much?"

Zero didn't respond, and I sat there patiently waiting for him to say something. I could feel Ichijou's hand curl around my arm, as if trying to tell me to stop talking. I didn't say anything, just thinking of Zero's words and trying to figure what could possible entitle him to call Ichijou and the rest of the Night Class "beasts".

A memory flashed through my mind and I paused, recalling how Skylar had called Aidou a "beast" as well. She did that and then Zero appeared, acting very similar to how she did-though his hostility was towards _all_ three of them, Ichijou, Aidou, and Shiki, whereas Skylar was only hostile towards Aidou.

I then remembered the strange things I saw-things I deemed as hallucinations due to being too tired. What I know _wasn't_ a hallucination was the specks of vermillion in Ichijou's emerald eyes. _Mutated genes?_ I tried to logic, uncertain of all of this. _Shiki-no._ His teeth were probably nothing; some people just have long canines. Oh god, I don't know. Why am I even trying to figure this out? I'm just going crazy. It's too much work for someone as stupid as I am to figure out.

"I don't get it..." I bit my bottom lip, looking down. Just why does Zero hate them? "Almost everyone I've met from the Night Class have been really nice... They're not beasts..." My voice quieted, but Zero must have had super good hearing because he lifted his head up and narrowed his eyes at me.

"That's because you don't know their true nature."

"Kiryuu-Kun!" Kaien said sharply, face stern. "Watch your tongue."

"Why?" He demanded, glaring at him. "You're already scheming; don't you think she has a right to know before things go any farther?" Okay, _now_ I'm as lost as a boy in Neverland.

"Know what?" I asked, knitting my eyebrows as I looked back-and-forth between them. What didn't I know? I blinked and let out a small yelp when Ichijou tugged on the arm he was holding, causing me to lean forward. I stiffened, uncomfortable not only due to the awkward position we were in but thanks to the situation as well, as he wrapped his arms around me and pressed my face into his shoulder. "H-Hey, I-Ichijou-"

"It's nothing!" He beamed, and Kaien nodded in agreement. I scowled.

"It's clearly not _nothing_ if Kiryuu-San is about ready to hit you both."

"A-Ah, is he really?"

With the plan to prevent the argument from escalating any further Kaien clapped his hands loudly, taking the short pause as an opportunity to speak. "That's enough out of all of you! Behave yourselves; do you really want to put any more stress onto our already ill guest? Look at her; she has to lean on Takuma-Kun for support because she can barely sit up!"

 _Everyone_ looked at Kaien like he was an idiot. Seeing this, a bead of sweat started to trail down the sides of his face before he cleared his throat and said,

"A-And since we're finished discussing ideas, why don't we hurry up and get ready for the day? We have a good hour left and Yuuki, Kiryuu-Kun, and Rosemary-San all still need to get ready for school. Not to mention Irene-Chan needs her sleep..."

I feel fine though... fussy man. I lifted my head up awkwardly and rested my chin on Ichijou's shoulder, pouting. Ichijou, feeling the action, looked down at me curiously with a small smile. "Lame~." Was all I said and the blond looked temporarily surprised before chuckling.

Skylar raised her cup in the air in agreement, "Same!" Yuuki gave a sigh and Zero just glared at the wall. The hand that Ichijou had on my head started to pet my hair, and it took everything I had to try and ignore it. Unfortunately, Ichijou had a presence that was near impossible not to notice as he was just so _there._ After a moment of selfishly enjoying having someone pet my head and play with my hair I pulled away, Ichijou carefully unwrapping his arms around me.

"Fine~." I whined, standing, but before walking away I started to pick up all the empty plates on the table. I had just gotten mine and Ichijou's, and was about to grab Kaien's when he and Yuuki completely freaked. He literally _yanked_ the plates out of my hands, jumping out of his chair to do so and was now currently holding the dishes high above his head, leaning away from me. Yuuki had quickly started going around the table, picking up all the dishes I failed to get to, and then taking the ones Kaien had grabbed from me.

Skylar lifted her hands up quickly in surprise, startled by the sudden turn of events and Yuuki's brash actions, and Zero just heaved a sigh.

"Don't even think about it!" Kaien shrieked at me. I stared up at him blankly, blinking rapidly in confusion and at how fast the plates had managed to vanish out of my grip. _What just happened?_ I wasn't entirely sure. Thinking on it, I don't think I'm ever sure about anything. I just... go with it, I guess. Huh. I watched as Kaien continued to lecture, the adult ranting and waving a finger at me scoldingly. "Not only are you sick, but you are also our _guest!_ No housework for you! Takuma-Kun, take her to her room so she can rest up before she tries to exert herself again!"

I-I'm sorry... but _what?_ I was just going to put them in the sink and-and was he serious? _My_ dad doesn't care when I'm sick; if I wasn't throwing up or lying on my death bed he'd still make me do the dishes and vacuum. This was ridiculous. I-I mean, yeah... it was nice, but still. It was unbelievable at how kind almost everyone here is. Deciding the wisest course of action would be to not argue with the strangely protective-of-his-students Chairman I didn't protest when Ichijou stood and pushed his chair in, making his way over to me. He placed a hand on my back, something that almost made me jump out of my skin simply due to the jolt of electricity that ran through me, and I nearly stumbled over my own feet as we left the room.

I was pouting as I opened the door to the guest room, and was still pouting as I turned around to bid Ichijou goodnight. I wasn't even able to get out a decent "Goodnight" when he reached a hand up and placed it on the back of my head, pulling me forward into another surprise hug. Then, before I could think of reciprocating the hug, he pulled away with a beaming smile and said, "Get well soon, Irene-Chan. Sweet dreams~."

"O-Okay..." Finally get used to his hugs my shock didn't last very long and I was able to recover. I gave him a timid smile. "Y-You too. Goodnight." I backed away to grab onto the handle to close the door, but he spoke again.

"...Irene-Chan?" I paused, looking up at him in confusion. Ichijou was smiling warmly, his green eyes softer than usual. Seeing such an expression on his face confused me, but made me a bit happy at the same time. He looked happy-not _bubbly_ happy, but... oh, how am I to explain? It's like that time when you sit next to a fireplace with your bestie and you're sipping hot chocolate and tea. It's a nice, comforting kind of happy that you get when you're relaxed around certain people.

"Yeah? What's up?"

"Is it alright if I visit you again tomorrow morning?" Well, you could just visit _later-_ oh, no. Wait, he can't; Ichijou is Night Class. _God dang it; I forgot. Lame._ "I might even be able to convince Riza-Chan to come visit!" He grinned, holding a finger up in front of his lips as if he were coming up with a secret plan. "Is that alright with you? I don't want to put too much stress on you while you're still recovering."

I was about to protest again, saying that I _wasn't_ sick, but decided it was too much work and just nodded. I liked talking to Ichijou, and Eliza was my best friend, so I got excited at the prospect of seeing them both. A huge grin had formed on my face, big and bright, but I was unable to express my excitement in that moment of time due to my awkwardness in not completely understanding what was okay in Japanese culture and what was not. I didn't want to jump up-and-down and wave my hands excitedly in the air, only to find out that that was some sort of insult to society. "Y-Yeah! I-I'm okay with that."

As if knowing I was holding back from expressing my joy he laughed and waved, making his way out into the hallway. "Great! I'll see you tomorrow then, Irene-Chan! Goodnight~!"

"G-Goodnight!" And with that, watching his back fade from view, I closed the door and walked over to the bed, curling onto the mattress and burrowing underneath the covers.   


	11. A Stressful Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> From hangouts, to flirting, to angry purple-haired prefects, to frantic blonds. English lessons? Shiki as a teacher? Yes~!

Ichijou dropped by the next day like he promised, and even kept doing so despite how the Chairman stopped inviting him. He just seemed to welcome the bubbly blond into his home, which I supposed made sense seeing how Kaien called Ichijou by his first name. Ichijou always ate breakfast with me and Kaien's family, and always dropped by around lunch time to make sure I ate something.

During lunch he'd try to tutor me some more in math, but that usually just ended up with me whining about how it didn't make sense, and I'd fall dramatically onto my side with him laughing at me. "You're just like Shiki," He told me the last time it happened, having watched me faceplant into the pillows. I refused to leave the room aside from breakfast and dinner, hence why we constantly remained in the bedroom. "You're so lazy~!" He laughed and nudged my side with his foot, his other leg pulled up to his chest with the textbook resting against his thigh. "And every time I come in here you're always sleeping!"

"'Cause I'm bored~!" I retorted childishly, complaining loudly about life's uninteresting events. I rarely see Skylar, and Eliza's only come over _once_ this whole week I've been in here. Apparently she was taking extracurricular classes and tutoring someone herself. She's such a busybody-not that it's a bad thing. Being hardworking is actually an admirable trait when you think about it. She has a good future set up for her. Now, _me_ on the other hand... I groaned and pushed myself up into a sitting position, whining loudly, "There's nothing to do when you're not here! I only get to see Skylar in the mornings and because the Headmaster won't let me leave you're the only one I have to talk to!" I slumped my shoulders and huffed, sticking my lips out in a pout. "It's so unfair. I can't even see you that much anyway because of the stupid class schedule, and now I'm trapped in this place."

Why did I have to be so stupid? If I was smarter-no, Skylar was a freaking _honor student_ and she's stuck in the Day Class. Even if I had the same genius genes as my dad I doubt I'd be able to be put into the Night Class.

"I'm not even sick!" I continued ranting, completely exasperated by everything. "Normally I wouldn't care, but I'm going to have so much make-up work and I can barely read kanji as it is and I'm speaking English right now, aren't I?" I looked at Ichijou, seeing his blank stare, and heaved a depressed sigh. Switching to Japanese I mumbled, "I knew it..."

"...I'm going to be honest with you, Irene-Chan, but I only understood part of that." He gave an apologetic smile. His eyes lit up suddenly, "Oh! Why don't you teach me English? That way we both learn! You can speak better Japanese and I can speak better English. It's a two-way deal. You do seem to be more talkative when you speak your natural tongue." The _smile_. The freaking _smile_ he gave me.

I felt like a deer caught in the headlights at that smile and any and all confidence I had at talking to him in either language just went down the drain. I had been making such good progress this week, too-I was just starting to speak Japanese more confidently...

"O-O-Oh... O-Okay... " I blinked awkwardly and turned away, certain my face was red as I tried to redirect my attention to the badly written notes on the bed. "I-I'd make a... I'd make a terrible teacher though." I swallowed the lump forming in my throat and picked up my math notebook, pretending to read it.

Ichijou tilted his head curiously, taking notice of the different manner I was suddenly speaking. I couldn't even read the kanji anymore-jesus. This was not okay. This was very not okay. Why does he have to be so distracting?

"N-Now, _drawing_ I think I could make a decent attempt...?" I knit my eyebrows together, thinking about it. People were always asking me to teach them how to draw, though sometimes I felt like they weren't really being serious... but to ask me to teach you how to speak another language? I could barely help my psychopathic cousin learn the flute aside from teaching her what notes were what letters. I'm a follower, not a leader, so teaching was way out of the question.

I tensed only for a few moments when the bed shifted and a pair of arms were around my shoulders, a chest pressing against my back as Ichijou hugged me. Finally, after so many constant hugs, I was getting used to his random shows of affection. "Aw~ Come on, Irene-Chan~! I want to be able to have secret conversations with you! We could plot against the other students and scare them!"

I gave him an incredulous look, questioning what goes on in that head of his. Over the past few days I discovered Ichijou was actually a fan of rather disturbing things-well, not disturbing more as just plain creepy. He loved horror stories and scary movies, and even enjoyed frightening other people from time to time. He actually spoke about overthrowing Kaname as Dorm Head, and you know what his excuse was?He said, and I quote: " _It already feels like I'm doing most of the work anyway, so why not just take the title as well and make it official?_ "

It made me wonder if he was actually plotting world domination and, if so, had he gotten Skylar to join him?

"N-No! I'm not scaring anyone. You can-You can do that yourself." Ichijou pouted, head turned to look at me, and I stiffened when I saw how close he was. _Be calm, be calm; it's okay._ I resisted the urge to lean my head back and away from him. The proximity between us at this moment of time was so small I wondered if he could feel my heart beating or, worst case scenario, even hear it. "I-I-I-" Speak, girl, speak! "I'm still hungry." I tried not to cringe at my choice of words. "You still hungry?"

I had finished the lunch the Headmaster had prepared for me, but I ended up sharing it with Ichijou because of all the vegetables that were on it. He didn't seem to realize my master plan though, which was great, but because I gave most of it to him I didn't eat much myself. I actually did this the entire week, as I'm only partially ashamed to admit, but I _really_ couldn't stand vegetables aside from potatoes and corn. It's terrible at how picky an eater I am.

"Irene-Chan..." I resisted the urge to bite my bottom lip, able to feel it trembling slightly from embarrassment as I forced myself to turn my head and look at him. His soft hair tickled the side of my face. He was so close I could make out all the different shades of colors in his eyes again. The specks of vermillion were back, but had dimmed to a very light shade of pink this time. I didn't have the courage to ask him about it; I felt it would be rude if I did. Ichijou had an amused smile on his face, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "Do you even know where the kitchen is?" Uh...

I opened my mouth to retort, to tell him I did, but I awkwardly closed it and looked away when I realized I didn't and that I would only be making a fool out of myself if I told him I did. "...Maybe," I settled on, though my silence was a major sign that I didn't. Ichijou chuckled and tightened his hold on me briefly before letting go, carefully maneuvering around all the books and papers that were on the bed and standing. I watched in confusion as he stood, trying to figure out what it was he was doing.

He had just opened the door when he realized I wasn't following. The bubbly blond turned back to look at me, tilting his head with a raised eyebrow. "Aren't you coming?" He asked. My eyes widened in alarm and in a frantic rush to stand and dash over so not to look like the idiot I was I ended up _not_ only papercutting myself, but tripping and falling off the bed, catching myself in a stumble, and hopping over to Ichijou on one foot while waving my arms wildly in the air in a failed attempt to catch my balance. "I-Irene-Chan!"

I had just managed to put my other foot on the ground when he grabbed me by the shoulders to help steady me. I almost, _almost_ put my hands on his waist in response to suddenly being grabbed, but I had managed to stop myself in time. I didn't want to freak him out, and I'm not entirely sure if he would even let me do that. That would be a weird question; _Next time I fall and you catch me, can I place my hands on your waist to help steady myself faster?_

"Are you alright?" He asked, snapping me out of my thoughts. "...Irene-Chan, you're bleeding!" Oh. Oops. He grabbed my hand, looking very concerned for my wellbeing. A part of me wondered why he was overreacting so much when it was just a papercut, but thinking on it papercuts were extremely painful. He must have been papercutted a _lot_ in the past and became traumatized by that. I can't fathom why he's reacting like this otherwise.

Not seeing what the big deal was I pulled my hand away, nearly regretting it due to the coldness that followed from the lack of warmth that had come from him. He's just like this giant heater; it's unfair. I'm always cold, but he's always so warm. Maybe he's secretly Apollo in disguise; his smile is certainly bright enough to be the sun.

I looked at my finger, seeing only the slightest bit of blood. I prodded at my finger a little, squeezing it to see just how bad it was, but when any blood barely came out I just made a "huh" face and brought my finger up to my mouth, pressing my tongue against it temporarily and trying not to scrunch my nose up at the taste of iron.

"It's fine," I told him, before removing my finger and wiping it against the hem of my _Fairy Tail_ T-shirt. "It's not that bad. I once double-papercutted myself before; I got two fingers at the same time. Sucked." I gave a small laugh, grinning at him. "I was trying put my..." Wait, how do you say that word? I paused for a moment. "Wa... Water... Yeah, I was trying to put my waterbottle in my binder when I cut myself on some papers I had in my notebook." I waved him off, trying to ignore the frown on his face. "It's fine, I'm okay! Wait, what were we doing again?"

There was talk of scaring people... and then teaching. Oh, wait, are we going to the kitchen?

"Oh! W-Wait, no... hold on... I dunno." I was so lost. I looked up at Ichijou with knitted eyebrows, completely befuddled. "What are we doing? Wait, what were we even talking about? Oh god, I don't remember!" I brought my hands up to head, running my hands through my hair-which actually looked like a really bad bob-cut because I didn't spray it- and desperately tried to recall all that had happened. "Okay... Okay, I got this. You said... No. Wait. What?" I tilted my head, at a total loss.

There was talk about Vampires again and... and... tutoring! Yeah! We were talking about tutoring and math, and speaking English, a-and... _Wait, what happened after he hugged me?_ Um... wow. I really don't remember. Eh, it'll come back to me in a few hours. Why do I have to be so one-track minded?

A chuckle snapped me out of my thoughts and there was a hand on my head, petting my hair. I blinked and looked up at the smiling Ichijou. "It's okay~. We were heading to the kitchen for food, remember?"

My eyes lit up at that, finally able to recall that awkward conversation. "Oh yeah! Ohh, let's go, let's go~!" I grabbed his sleeve and started to pull him out of the room, already heading down the hallway, only to pause halfway and look up at him blankly. "...Which way is the kitchen again?" I gave a sheepish smile and he laughed, tugging on the arm I was holding onto him with and pulling me towards him as he hugged me once more. My eyes widened at the sudden force pulling me.

"You're so cute~!" Knowing that it would be pointless to argue, I relaxed and accepted the compliment, tentatively reciprocating the embrace. I was certain my face was red, but was grateful that at least this time the blond didn't think to point it out.

Cooking was almost a disaster. I only knew the basics like grilled cheese and hamburgers, and Ichijou wanted to make some super complicated recipe that he found lying in a book in one of the cabinets. I was too scared to do anything, always triple and quadruple checking to make sure I didn't heck anything up, and he was humming and dancing around-okay, the dancing was a bit of an exaggeration, but he _was_ humming and giggling as he cooked the pasta. I just resorted to handing him the ingredients he asked for as he worked on making the sauce.

We spent the evening cooking, eating, and talking-until he gave a big yawn and showed off his pointy teeth. I blinked,and then asked if he was tired and if he wanted to take a nap. He looked surprised, green eyes widening, and actually stammered for once.

"You can lie down and take a nap if you want; I can wake you up an hour before you have to leave." I told him. We were back in the bedroom, having taken our food with us, and had gotten done eating a good twenty minutes ago. Looking closely at him Ichijou _did_ have dark circles underneath his eyes... I felt awful, especially since I had been complaining earlier about not getting to see him more often due to the class differences. He was losing sleep because of me and here I was asking for more time with him. Stupid Irene...

"Are you certain you don't mind?" He asked, eyes concerned. "I don't want to make you uncomfortable..." I waved him off.

"It's fine, it's fine! You need your sleep. You wouldn't be considered Sleeping Beauty without your beauty sleep, you know?" I began to pile everything up, pushing everything to my side of the bed. "You should-You should sleep." This was all my fault... I'm sorry, Ichijou.

"Well, since you insist..." He gave another yawn and shifted, laying down on the bed and grabbing onto one of the pillows and curling around it. It was rather interesting to watch, especially since he was so tall and had such long legs, and after a moment when I realized I was staring I quickly turned away.

Ichijou was out like a light, the curtains covering all the windows and keeping the sun out probably having a factor in that, and after a good ten minutes I looked at him again, having been sitting there silently and drawing. He looked so peaceful and relaxed... He also looked a bit cold.

There was no way I could pull the blankets out from underneath him and the only other thing that could work was-oh. Duh. I carefully got off the bed and grabbed the bag Skylar had brought when she came over the first day, pulling out both my jackets. I emptied the pockets out and made my way back over, draping them over him as carefully as I could. I put my green jacket over his torso and my black, white-green plaid one over his legs. Unfortunately he was still a bit too tall for it to cover his feet completely, but it was as good as I could do right now.

"...If you don't want to lose sleep you don't have to come over, you know..." I told him quietly with a frown, upset by his actions. I should have refused him when he asked if he could keep coming over. He was probably just doing that to be nice. "Sorry... Ichijou-Kun." I sighed.

Drawing was rather difficult, guilt consuming my heart and making it impossible to move the pencil in any decent or elegant fashion. I thought about taking a nap myself, but I knew if I did I would fail at waking Ichijou up. I spent most of the time daydreaming and going over plotlines in my head for story ideas, sending occasional glances at the clock to keep track of time. When it came time to wake him I shook him lightly, watching the male shift and groan as he groggily opened his eyes. He looked rather adorable as he sat up, hair a total mess from his nap. "Irene-Chan...?" Ichijou mumbled, looking very confused as to what he was doing there. His expression cleared after a few seconds and he rubbed at his eyes. "Good morning..."

I tried not to laugh at his words, as it was very much _not_ morning, but it was difficult. "Mornin'," I told him, grinning slightly. "Feeling any better?"

He gave a small nod and stretched, a loud yawn escaping him. "Much, actually~! Ah, that was a well-needed nap." Ichijou laughed, ruffling his hair, before blinking at me. "Is something wrong, Irene-Chan?" I looked at him in alarmed, wondering if I was really that obvious. _Seeing how I practically wear my heart on both my sleeves, I guess I am... Lame~!_

"N-No, not-not really," I stammered, moving to get off the bed. "You should probably head back to the Moon Dorms so you can grab your uniform. You have..." I twisted my body to look at the clock, "like, forty minutes left. You'll be late." Ichijou stared at me for a moment before getting up, pausing once to look at the jackets I had covering him, before carefully pulling them off and heading over to the window to open the curtain. A small hiss escaped him once the sunlight reached his eyes, and the blond had to hold a hand up to block out most of the sun's brightness.

Hearing the painful sounding hiss that had escaped I looked at him startled. "A-Are you okay!?"

"Y-Yes, I'm fine..." He said, eyes trained outside, "I've been inside all day, so I forgot how blinding the sun can be. Oh! That reminds me; why do you keep your curtains closed, Irene-Chan? Shouldn't you let light in?" He looked at me curiously. Hands in my jeans pockets I thought about it before giving a small shrug, making my way over to him and sneaking underneath his arm to reach the window. "I-Irene-Chan?"

I had to squint, the light from the sun stinging a little due to me being used to the darkness of the room. "I'm just lazy," I decided to give as my answer, watching as the Day Class started to make their way out of the school building. So many were running to reach the gates... Poor Ichijou was going to have a hard time making it through the crowd. I felt a pang in my chest, knowing that this was all my fault. Maybe I should have woken him up sooner...

A yawn escaped me, my eyes watering.

"A-A- _Achoo!_ " I leaned forward as I sneezed, which in turn caused me to hit my head off the window. I let out a cry, grabbing onto my throbbing skull with a frantic Ichijou in the background. "Ow~! God dang it-!" I whined loudly, rubbing the throbbing part of my cranium with my hand. I was definitely going to have a nice bruise there. Jeez.

A warm hand placed itself against the spot where I got hit, Ichijou forcibly turning me around so he could look at the new injury. "You really can't go a day without hurting yourself, can you?" He sounded amazed, though his expression was one of concern. "It almost makes me reluctant to leave you here. Hm~ Maybe I can ask Kaname if I can bring you with me! Oh, but then he'd be mad... I'm sure it'll be fine, though!" He grinned and laughed, before gently running his fingers across the new bump on my skull. He stood up straight, his hand resting on the top of my head. Ichijou then lightly ruffled my hair, smiling warmly and saying, "It doesn't look too serious; you'll be alright. Although I must ask that you please refrain from hitting your head off of anymore windows."

I pulled away with an embarrassed grumble, rubbing at my skull. "It's not _my_ fault the window hates me..." He laughed at that. I watched him for a few seconds, the smile and overall expression he wore becoming ingrained into my memory, and hesitated when I tried to speak up. _He'll hate you,_ my brain told me. _He'll call you stupid._ B-But still... I bit the inside of my lip, knitting my eyebrows together as I looked outside briefly.

It was my fault he was so tired. He was Night Class, so during the hours he was supposed to be sleeping he kept coming to visit me. If I didn't exist... no. No self-deprecation. _If I didn't say he could come over_ , I corrected myself, refusing to think bad thoughts, _he wouldn't be so tired. So just... just tell him not to come over tomorrow. Okay? It's that easy._

"H-Hey..." I started, but my voice was already breaking and going quiet. Feeling my hands shake I instinctively grabbed hold of my fingers, twiddling and pulling on them out of habit. I didn't know why I was so nervous; Ichijou was a nice person. There's no way he'd get mad over something like this, but... still. The darker part of my mind wanted to convince he would. That he would hate me. "Um, y-you..." Ichijou blinked, tilting his head curiously at me before worry flashed through his eyes.

"Yes, Irene-Chan? What is it?"

I-It's okay... I can do this. Just breathe. My heart was beating so loud I could hear it; it hurt my head a little. "I-I... you... " I swallowed the lump in my throat and took a deep breath, forcing myself to keep looking at him, "I-If you d-don't want to... y-you don't have to come over tomorrow. S-So... So you can catch up on your sleep and stuff."

He looked surprised. Ichijou's smile became unidentifiable at that moment. "I thought you liked my company?"

"I-I do!" Nope. No. I'm not crying. I'm not crying. God dang it. I blinked rapidly, furrowing my eyebrows when my eyes started to sting. "I-I like talking to you, b-but it-it's not good for your health to... to miss out on sleep and... stuff..." My voice died near the end and I trailed off, feeling like a complete idiot for even trying to be helpful. "I-I'm mean, but I'm not _that_ mean. I-I'm not... I'm not going to... to force you to keep coming here and-and let you get sick. B-Being sick isn't fun, you know!"

I was squeezing my fingers so tightly it hurt, trying my hardest to stop them from shaking, and I had just finished my rant when Ichijou grabbed my hands and pulled them apart, holding them within his own. I froze, looking down in shock. Out of all the things I was expecting, him to do that wasn't one of them.

"It's okay, Irene-Chan..." He murmured softly, smiling with gentle eyes as he looked down at me. "I won't get sick that easily. And besides, I like spending time with you." He gave a small giggle and his smile broadened. "I'm happy that you're worried about me though."

 _Y-You-!_ My hands were still shaking, and in a flustered response to his words I laced my fingers with his and pushed forward, forcing his hands to press against his chest. He only looked surprised for a moment, an amused grin spreading across his face soon thereafter. I didn't know what to say or how to react, so we stood there for a minute or two in silence as I desperately tried to think of a good response. "W-Why wouldn't I be worried?" I finally settled, voice squeaking a little and causing me to flinch. "I-I mean, y-you're my friend... s-so... yeah."

He hummed thoughtfully, still smiling, and leaned down so we were closer in height. I resisted the urge to lean away, knowing full well that he was probably going to make a comment about my face being red, but a huge smile grew across his face like he was a small child who just saw the presents underneath the tree on Christmas Day and, instead of making fun of me, he let go of my hands and pulled me tightly into a hug, gushing loudly. It was only when he started to rub his cheek against mine in an overly-doting version of affection that I started trying to pull away. Unfortunately, despite his slender appearance, Ichijou was stronger than he looked.

"Irene-Chan is so cute~!" O-Okay, th-that's enough. _Whoa-!_ Feet being lifted off the ground I screeched and wrapped my arms around him, clinging onto his shirt for dear life as he lifted me up in the air and did a little spin.

My legs almost gave out on me when he set me down, the world spinning, and I absolutely refused to let go of him until I was certain I wasn't going to fall over and die. Ichijou was laughing joyously, completely oblivious to the world around him. His hands were on my shoulders now, the blond just beaming as if he were the sun itself.

It was only after craning my neck to look at the clock did I manage to get Ichijou to completely let go of me. I panicked, completely freaking out about him possibly being late, and I even went so far as grabbing his arm and trying to drag him towards the door. Ichijou was laughing the entire time, apparently finding _something_ about the situation hilarious, and called out a goodbye as I pushed him out of the room.

...

Skylar hated school. What she hated even more than school was the endless amounts of homework they gave her. Now, after coming to Cross Academy, Skylar had a _third_ thing to hate even more than homework and school combined.

 _Fangirls_.

If it weren't for the fact that Vampires were naturally beautiful creatures, especially the purer the bloodline, then they wouldn't even _have_ fanclubs or anything of the sort. But because they were, for all intents and purposes, _inhumanely_ beautiful, people naturally gravitated towards them. And speaking about people, Skylar was about ready to clock some rather annoying ones in the face.

The Night Class' fanclub refused to give up their persistent pushing, leaving Skylar and Yuuki to try and shove them all back. Normally Skylar had it handled pretty well, but her mind was elsewhere today due to the constant events happening with her best friend and a certain blond Vampire. As according to Kaien's "master plan" Ichijou and Irene have been spending more time together due to her residing within the guest room instead of her dorm, giving them the privacy needed for them to talk and get closer. Kaien knew she was fine after the one day, but the Headmaster was stubborn. Skylar learned this quite quickly after speaking with him only a few times.

He was trying to use Irene as a sort of "branch" between the two races, for if she was already friends with a Level C Vampire, why not have her become friends with someone who has more power and authority over other Vampires-say, an Aristocrat? It just so happened that Irene happened to have common interests with the Aristocrat of Aristocrats, Ichijou Takuma, and that it was a happy coincidence that he was the one who caught the flying paper that fateful day. After explaining things to her, Skylar did some research on him and some of the other students.

The Ichijou family was part of a corporation known as the "Ichijou Group". It's a foundation that takes business in both sides of the world, interacting with both Vampires and Humans, and is involved with almost every company you can think of in Japan. The Ichijou Group is an influential bunch, and the Ichijou family had one of the purest bloodlines for an Aristocrat family. However, unlike the Aidou family, they were not too terribly ingrained with that of Human affairs despite their business in the outside world.

Also, and this is something Skylar found quite ironic, the Vampire who had attacked Irene-Aidou Hanabusa- actually had a hobby of writing research papers. He was even the one who came up with the development of the blood tablets. _The one who created them is the one who hates them most,_ she thought, finding the thought irritating and amusing at the same time.

A sudden weight came over Skylar, the fans taking advantage of her horrible attention span, and the Hunter let out a shout as she was sent stumbling back. Skylar had been so out of it she didn't even see it coming and found herself hitting the ground. The girl grunted, pushed herself up, and glared-quickly getting back to her duties after yelling a few profanities at the annoying Day Class. _I hate people, I hate people, I hate people, I hate people-!_ She's this close to throwing them all in the- _Hold on, what?_ A giant blur of beige and blue caught her attention and Skylar's eyes darted in the direction she saw it vanish.

Digging her feet into the ground, the girl's dark eyes widened in shock when she saw the devil himself leap up onto the Moon Dorm's concrete hedges, jumping up that height with ease due to his Vampiric abilities and landing with the utmost grace of what she dared to describe as a dancer. She watched him look around, Ichijou's eyes locking onto hers temporarily before he held a finger up to his mouth to tell her "be quiet about this".

Then, without batting an eyelash, he gave another great leap and latched onto one of the many balcony railings on the side of the Moon Dorm. Nobody but her seemed to have noticed, and she was certain that if Irene was there the poor girl would be screaming her head off with horror and rambling away about how dangerous a move that was.

He pulled himself up, sliding over the rail easily, and brushed off his beige vest and blue undershirt before opening the window and closing it behind him as he climbed into the Dorm. Skylar was still laughing like a madman when he walked out of the Dorms and through the gates casually not even five minutes later, dressed in his uniform as elegantly as usual. "Holy shit!" She snorted, giggling like crazy, and Ichijou pretended not to notice as he smiled in a mixture of exhaustion and amusement.

"Good morning~!" He greeted everyone, accidentally riling up the fans even more, and from beside him Eliza sighed and shook her head. "Eh? What's the matter, Riza-Chan?"

"You're going to be the death of everyone, you know that, right?" Her tone was light, so while her words were dark her eyes were kind. Beside her Aidou scowled, the golden blond looking like he wanted to be anywhere but there. Skylar had to give Eliza props-she knew how to keep troublemakers on a leash. It actually made her wonder if she should buy Eliza one to put on Aidou just for giggles.

"Says you," Aidou grumbled, scoffing and turning his head. Eliza's eyes narrowed and she gave him a swift glare, successfully sending chills down his spine and making him tense in fear. "W-What? You don't scare me!"

"Uh-huh," She said, completely unimpressed as she crossed her arms. "Sure I don't." Ichijou laughed at their words, raising a tired hand and waving it in the air.

"Now, now, why don't we all get along? You have to praise Aidou just a little bit, Riza-Chan; he hasn't tried nor spoke of attempting anything in awhile! I have faith in Aidou, so you should too."

"I don't trust him!" She grumbled, thus causing Aidou's eyebrow to twitch.

"You two realize I'm still here, don't you?" He was so caught up in their conversation he completely ignored all the fangirls screaming his name. Eliza just made him so _angry_ -she really took him for an idiot, didn't she? He does have self-control! He just gets bored sometimes and when girls actually go out of their way to sneak out at night... well, he just can't help himself. They're practically offering their blood up to him without realizing. "Besides, Taylor Irene-San belongs to the Vice Dorm Head; I'm not going to touch her!"

"Eh?" Ichijou blinked, completely confused. He tilted his head innocently at Aidou, not understanding his comment from before. In what way did Irene "belong" to him?

"Like hell I believe that! Everytime I see her you're always right there next to her!" Eliza was furious, but despite knowing that Aidou seemed to currently bring out the worst in her she forced herself to remain by his side. Maybe she was being a bit irrational in her arguments and dislike of him, especially since he actually hasn't _done_ anything like Ichijou said, but she just really didn't want to risk it. Irene's just a fragile Human after all. "You're probably just waiting to sink your teeth into her." She lowered her voice at the last bit, not wishing for the Day Class to hear their argument.

Aidou's eyes threatened to turn red, the anger clear in his face, and as he spoke he got louder and louder. Fortunately for her, Eliza was used to people talking loudly. "I am _not,_ you annoying woman! I already told you; she belongs to Ichijou!"

Ichijou finally cut in, frowning at what was being said. "And how exactly does Irene-Chan "belong" to me, Aidou? I have no ownership over her and I'm honestly quite upset that you believe so. She's not an object."

"I wasn't-I didn't mean it like that!" Aidou let out a frustrated yell and ruffled his hair, drawing out some concerned reactions from his fangirls in the background who stopped screaming. Some of the Vampires ahead looked back at them, a few looking quite annoyed at their bickering. Others looked curious. "I just meant-okay, you know what? Nevermind! This is all pointless trying to explain to _you_." With that last remark Aidou pushed past Eliza and stormed up to the rest of the Night Class, taking his usual spot beside his cousin Akatsuki.

More fangirls started to push and scream, and deciding not to waste any time Skylar glared and pushed them back, shouting angrily at them. The fangirls managed to overwhelm her again, furthering her hate for people, but instead of crashing against the ground an arm latched around her back and caught her. Then, without a moment to lose, all the fangirls scrambled away in terror.

Skylar had just started turning her head to look up at her savior when she was given a light push and forced to stand back on her own feet. Zero didn't even bother to wait for a "thank you" from Skylar before he walked away, shooting glares left and right. She stared at him for a long moment, watching as he leaned against the gates wall and scare all the girls away without so much as lifting a finger, and raised an eyebrow before continuing her job.

Later that night Skylar snuck into the Headmaster's place to check in on Irene, the girl sleeping soundly, and after making sure the windows were locked Skylar quickly left and went out into town. There were no Level-E's for her to hunt, unfortunately, but she did manage to get a bag of candy from a store run by a Level-C. She found the town near the Academy quite interesting, as it seemed to have very few Humans actually living there. It was mostly common class Vampires and a few Hunters.

Skylar hummed to herself, climbing over the school gate, and after taking a few steps she paused, sensing a familiar presence. She decided to ignore it, and continued to do so until she realized that he was actually _following_ her. "So," She began to say, slowing down her walk. One step, two steps... Skylar came to a stop. She turned her head, looking over her shoulder with a raised eyebrow. "How long do you plan to follow me? You must think I'm really pretty, 'cause I know you're not doing this for the sole reason that I'm fun to be around." She grinned at the silver-haired prefect as he stepped out of the shadows, an undecipherable expression on his face.

It was as though he expected to have been caught.

"Hello?" She asked, raising both her eyebrows. Zero didn't speak, merely glaring at her, but after a few seconds his expression loosened up and some of the anger vanished. "What do you want?"

"...Just what exactly are you and the Headmaster planning to do with that girl?"

Skylar blinked in surprise. "What?" Hold on, is he talking about Irene? "What do you mean?"

"That Human girl you're close with. Are you really okay with that bloodsucker constantly smothering her all the time?" He stepped forward, completely leaving the shadows of the tree he was beside. "I know you said you don't have a problem with him... or other certain Vampires. But you know just as I do that the tranquility between them is only temporary; one day he'll go mad, acting like the disgusting beast he is, and before you know it..." Zero's hand was around Skylar's throat, not crushing but just resting gently over it. "She'll be gone."

"You're really adamant about Upperclassman Ichijou losing control, aren't you?" Skylar said, meeting his gaze steadily. His lilac eyes were filled with hatred-not for her, but for the whole race of Vampires. She lowered her voice, leaning forward as she lightly placed her hand over the one covering her throat. She lidded her eyes, "This is starting to become a bit of an obsession for you. But you know what?" A smirk graced her lips and Zero narrowed his eyes, the slightest hints of red in the lilac orbs. Voice near a whisper, she couldn't stop herself from saying, "You're wrong."

Zero released her like fire and backed away, expression sharpening as he glared at her. Clearly someone didn't like her response. Skylar remained grinning as she lightly rubbed the spot he had grabbed her, a light tingle remaining.

"The only way Upperclassman Ichijou could possibly lose control is if he actually starts _craving_ for her blood, and from what Eliza told me he's never even had Human blood before. That means that unless he suddenly starts developing feelings for her, _he will not snap._ " A Vampire's thirst can only be quenched by the one they care about most, after all, and as sweet as Irene was she doubted Ichijou would lose his heart to her that easily. Not unless she could see his true self through all those fake smiles.

But perhaps she could? Skylar stopped antagonizing Zero to think about it. If Irene had sensed anything wrong about Ichijou she would instantly be uncomfortable, and therefore would just start trying her hardest to avoid him completely. She always seems so at ease with him...

Skylar's eyes widened and Zero knit his eyebrows at the sight of her alarmed expression. "Hey..."

What if he did? Would he lose control like Zero said and bite her? He's never had Human blood before-the taste of it might be overwhelming and he could accidentally drink her dry. No; that wouldn't happen. Ichijou has an amazing self-control. Irene gets hurt _constantly_ and not once had he caved into bloodlust. She doubted he even thought about it. When it comes down to it, even if he was craving her blood, he would never do anything to harm Irene. Besides, Irene can handle herself just fine. She might freak out at first, but if things go from bad to worse then she _will_ do something.

God, Skylar was so proud when she found out Irene punched Aidou twice. Her fragile, little flower's growing up so fast~!

"Upperclassman Ichijou is a sweetheart," Skylar decided, nodding her head firmly. "And Irene is fully capable of protecting herself against others." Now, against inanimate objects... not so much. "Besides!" Skylar walked up to him and, to his chagrin, slapped his shoulder with a big grin. "You were bitten years ago and haven't fallen to Level-E yet, right? That's some pretty good self-control right there!" Oh, the death sentence his eyes were promising was amazing. "If you can do it, why can't Upperclassman Ichijou do it?"

She laughed at her words, enjoying how easy it was to rile him up, only to stop abruptly when an alarm went off in her head. Something was wrong. Something was _very_ wrong. Skylar whirled around, eyes trained on the school building where her friend lay sleeping inside. _Irene...!_ Skylar didn't bother offering an explanation, running at full speed towards the building with the intent of stopping whatever being was threatening her friend.

...

"Shiki~! You speak English better than I do; how do you pronounce this word?" Ichijou got up from his seat and dashed over to his redhaired friend. Eliza was currently in another argument with Aidou so Ichijou was unable to request her _or_ the genius blond for help. Shiki was his third best option, as the male actually learned English for when he went to America a while back due to some modeling shoots, and he decided that if Shiki were unable to help he would go pester Kaname despite how he did not speak very good English himself. Ichijou sat down on Shiki and Rima's desk, leaning over and pointing at a word on a page that was in the book he was holding. "I'm having some trouble with it," He told the model.

Shiki, who was munching on two sticks of pocky simultaneously, blinked and leaned over. He stared blankly at the page for a moment before snapping the pocky sticks in half with a good _crunch_ , quickly stopping the ends from falling with his tongue and pulling them back into his mouth. He chewed, swallowed, and said, "Miscellaneous..."

"Misser...Missar..." Ichijou struggled to pronounce it, the male constantly trying to pronounce an "r" sound due to their natural language not having any "L"s.

"Llll." Shiki told him with a monotone voice, before opening his mouth and demonstrating how to position the tongue when speaking it. He spoke slowly and in English as he did so, "Like... this..."

"L... Like..." Ichijou struggled, furrowing his eyebrows together determinedly as he watched Shiki closely. "Like... this?" He beamed, realizing he pronounced the word correctly. Shiki nodded. "Yay~! Like this. Like this!" He repeated himself a few times, smiling broadly, before looking back at his book and staring at the word he had trouble pronouncing. "Miscel... Miscellaneous. Miscellaneous!" He laughed happily before moving to give Shiki a quick hug. "Thank you~" He sang, still speaking English, "Remind me to make you tea l... later!" Ichijou paused, pulled away, and a spent a few more moments practicing his "L"s until Rima finally asked,

"Hey, Ichijou-San... why are suddenly trying to learn a new language?" Her eyes narrowed. "Does it have something to do with the foreign exchange students...?"

At that Eliza stopped arguing with Aidou, head turning in their direction at the mention of her and her friends. The golden blond huffed and crossed his arms, scowling and pouting at the woman in front of him. "I seriously don't understand your fascination with them, Ichijou." Aidou told him grumpily. Eliza smacked his arm lightly, not hesitating even for a second. Aidou shot her a glare. Eliza just glared back.

"What's your fascination with his friends?" She retorted. Aidou scrunched his nose up at her. Ichijou laughed and tried to stop the argument from escalating any further. He held a hand up in the air, the other keeping his place in the book he was reading.

"It's fine~!" Ichijou spoke Japanese again, that way everyone could understand him. "It's just that Irene-Chan is more talkative in her native tongue, so I thought if I learned her language we could have conversations easier. Though I don't understand a lot of what she's saying right now, I know she likes talking as much as you do, Aidou." The smile he gave him made it hard to discern whether he was being honest or if he was insulting the golden blond.

Luckily, Aidou was good at reading people so he knew right away what Ichijou was actually hinting at. Giving a final scowl Aidou sat back down, crossing his leg over his knee and propping his elbow up on his desk. "I repeat; I don't understand your fascination with her. She's just another annoying Human."

Eliza took that as opportunity to say, "So your fangirls are annoying?"

"Of course not!" He defended, looking quite appalled by her words. "I love my fangirls! They're all adorable. It's Taylor-San and that Kiryuu guy I hate-not to mention your little Hunter friend. They're nothing but trouble for this Academy."

"You conceited little-!"

Ruka, from the corner, gave an exasperated groan. "Can you guys not go a _day_ without arguing about something? It's been almost a whole month since she's got here and you two have been arguing left and right, Hanabusa!" Aidou's jaw dropped at her words.

"R-Ruka! Why are blaming this on me!? It's _her_ fault, not mine!" He pointed at Eliza, who rolled her eyes at him. "I'm the victim here!"

"Hanabusa," Akatsuki began, raising a hand and pressing his fingers against his forehead. His deep voice echoed around the room, the male calm as ever regardless of the situation. "Just apologize for whatever it was you did that pissed her off and get on with it. Promise you won't do it again and whatever else she wants you to say; you're causing everyone headaches."

"Y-You... _Akatsuki!_ " Aidou looked ready to cry, expression completely heartbroken by both his cousins teaming up against him. "Akatsuki, Ruka, how could you!? She's the _enemy_ here! Not me!"

He slumped over in defeat when he saw that not just his cousins, but that his friends Rima and Shiki were even looking at him expectantly as well. Ichijou was just smiling with big green eyes, humming as he practiced more words from his book.

Knowing that he would be given hell if he didn't, Aidou cursed under his breath and turned to Eliza. Her arms were crossed, her gray-blue eyes looking at him sternly. Aidou hated the entire world at that moment, and he could hardly remember a time when he got in trouble as much as he has been in this one month. He stood, bowed, and grumbled out his best apology. "I promise not to cause harm to you or your stupid friends... I swear on my life and dignity as an Aristocrat."

The silence was unbearable, and he was tempted to freeze her into an icecube, but he resisted and waited for her response. Aidou felt like he was suffocating in the quiet, no sound except the that of everyone's breathing and heartbeats able to be heard.

"...I still don't trust you, but I accept your apology."

Aidou froze. His eyes widened and in his shock he raised his head, stunned by her words. She... She _accepted_ it? W-Well, of course she accepted it! Aidou's a man of his word, so she has absolutely no reason to doubt him! Not to mention that swearing on his title as an Aristocrat would have to go show to _everyone_ that Aidou was being completely serious. Maybe Kaname even felt a bit proud of him... Aidou stood, crossing his arms and turning his head away. He could feel the slightest hint of a smirk curling onto his face as he closed his eyes. "Of course you do. I keep my promises!"

Eliza just raised an eyebrow at him. Aidou refused to falter. Shiki tapped Ichijou's shoulder, snapping the blond out of his self-tutoring. "Hm? What is it, Shiki? Is something the matter?"

The redhead shook his head and raised a finger, pocky dangling out of his mouth again as he pointed to one of the big glass windows on the other side of the room. Rima spoke up, voice completely deadpan. "Dorm Head Kuran is looking at you, Ichijou-San..."

The green-eyed blond looked a bit surprised at her words and turned his head, seeing that Kaname was indeed looking at him. Ichijou closed his book, memorizing the page number, and slid it towards Shiki for safe keeping as he got up off the desk. Kaname's garnet eyes were calculating, and seeing that expression made Ichijou slow down his walk.

Regardless of the news Ichijou was probably going to hear, he forced the smile to remain on his face. "Is there something you wish to tell me, Kaname?" The Pureblood didn't speak, turning his head to look out of the window. Ichijou's smile threatened to falter. "Is something wrong?"

"...I want you to leave that Human girl alone, Takuma."

Ichijou's eyebrows knit together, the male's smile now strained. "Are you ordering me, Kaname?" If it was an order from a Pureblood such as himself, the blond would have no choice but to obey. Yett Kaname was unlike any other Purebloods, and he despised using such methods against other Vampires. Although... Kaname really seemed to dislike Ichijou interacting with Irene for some reason... How could he view such a sweet girl as such a dangerous threat?

"No." He told him, looking at the blond out of the corner of his eyes. "I'm asking... as a friend." Ichijou's eyes softened at those words, but he couldn't agree to them.

"I'm glad... that you're worried about me, Kaname. But I'm not going to just stop talking to Irene-Chan. She's my friend, so I won't go and abandon her. I'm sorry."

A light sigh escaped and Kaname closed his eyes, leaning his head back against the window. "I had a feeling you would say that..." Ichijou chuckled at the brunette, but cut off abruptly at Kaname's next words. "Which is why I hope you can forgive me for what I've done."

The blond stopped moving. Ichijou's breath hitched in his throat, his emerald orbs widening, and his mouth parted ever so slightly in his horror. Whirling around his eyes scanned the room- _how could I have not noticed!?_ Her scent had been missing for quite some time now, but not once had he paid a lick of attention to it. "Where is Seirin!?"  


	12. A Forgetful Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which things are forgotten, and friendships and hearts are broken...

Skylar was a paranoid person. When she leaves for patrol she always checks on Irene, making sure she was sleeping, and would always lock the windows behind her in case someone got a bright idea and decided to try something. In fact, Skylar was pretty darn sure there was nothing safe than locking one's window. So when her senses screamed at her that something was wrong and that her friend was in trouble Skylar took the longer route, dashing into the Day Dorms, up the stairs, and practically kicked the door down.

She was breathing heavily, sure. Skylar was a Hunter, but that didn't mean she chased after her prey a whole lot. She usually stood there and shot until they keeled over and dusted. She panted and looked around, gun held tight in her hand, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary until her gaze rested on the bed.

Not only was Irene gone, but her blanket was kicked halfway off the bed and one of the pillows were missing-thrown, all the way across the room, and lying next to an open window...

 _Shit!_ Skylar cursed loudly in her head and quickly maneuvered over, lungs burning as she peered out. She scowled and let out several profanities, the wind blowing the curtain and her hair into her face, but upon feeling no nearby presence of a Vampire Skylar pulled away with a frown. _Who the hell...?_ She could still feel it. The sensation sent goosebumps running along her skin. The Vampire _had_ been here... but where's- "Irene!" Skylar's eyes widened and before she knew it she was kneeling down beside the unconscious brunette, the girl wheezing heavily. _No, no, no, no, no!_

This wasn't happening. There was no way this happening. Skylar searched for bite marks, pushing the sleeves up and even going so far as to check her legs. Irene's neck was clear for all to see, hair so short and collar a normal u-shape, but the flesh was untouched. She wasn't bleeding anywhere either, so... what happened?

Picking her up with tears stinging her eyes Skylar felt something akin to a bump on the back of her friend's head. She rationalized Irene hit it against the wall in the struggle. Skylar was going to murder whoever did this... She was even more enraged due to the fact that Irene looked as though she had been crying, something which while shouldn't have surprised her as Irene was an emotional smol bean, made Skylar as furious as a dormant volcano threatening to erupt, scalding and bubbling way beyond her boiling point as it was a _person_ that did this.

Eyes red and puffy, face still wet with tears... her entire expression was that of pain. It pissed Skylar off. It pissed her off so. _Damn._ Much.

She was so angry she was shaking, teeth grinding together as she carefully picked her friend up and stood. _Someone's going to die..._ She thought, violent thoughts that would send any normal person scurrying away rushing through her mind. Skylar started to turn, having the intent of lying Irene back down on her bed, when she heard footsteps and felt Zero's presence as he entered the room. "Hey-" He looked rather irked, opening his mouth to say something, before he stopped and just looked at her. Really _looked_ at her. Skylar herself was crying. Crying and angry and eyes filled with so much _hate_ \- Zero closed his eyes, grimacing at the scent of late-Vampire, and looked at Skylar with a softer expression.

He felt a bit bad for all the things he said. For what he accused her of. While their situations may have been different, the look she was wearing now was the same look he had after his family had been attacked. When _that woman_ appeared. While Zero didn't agree with her philosophy that not all Vampires were bad, he could relate to her to a certain extent. He was a terrible person, acting the way he did, but he refused to apologize. Instead, he carefully stepped forward and extended his hands out towards.

She eyed him suspiciously, almost backing away, but upon seeing the gentler look she relented, allowing Zero to take Irene from her. The girl was completely limp, unmoving if not for the shallow breaths she took. He moved and set her down, pulling the blanket up and tossing it over her. "You should get the Chairman," He murmured, knitting his eyebrows together. A confliction of emotions took over him, and he cleared his throat when he felt it get a bit dry. He coughed into his shoulder, grimacing, and tore his gaze away from the unconscious girl's exposed neck. "I don't think that bloodsucker did any physical damage."

The stupid tablets... Zero stalked out of the room, not sparing her a glance as he entered the hallway and pulled out his medicine case, taking out a few pills and putting them in his mouth. He coughed twice as hard, choking on the pills as they refused to dissolve in his mouth. _Damn it..._ He brought a hand up to cover his mouth as he coughed, hacking and wheezing and eventually slamming a hand against his chest.

It was burning. A hot, acidic fire in his throat and a gaping empty hole in his stomach. He was thirsty-so _so_ thirsty.

 _Why!?_ Remains of the tablets ended up spat back out onto his hand, covered in spit and fluid. _Why... don't they work!?_ It hurts. It hurts so much. He's starving. _I'm not... like them._ He's not a beast. Zero isn't going to be like _that woman_.

From inside the room Skylar looked at her unconscious friend, wondering who and why the hell someone decided to do this. Was it because of Ichijou? Because she was getting too close to such an important Aristocrat? Or was it simply because they didn't like Irene? Skylar didn't know. But she certainly was going to get answers.

...

The next morning wasn't as eventful as most with interesting lives would be hoping, but it was certainly more eventful than I've ever had. I woke up with a pounding skull and aching muscles, shifting just causing excruciating pain to shoot all throughout my body. It felt a bit like I had ran another marathon in gym class, despite not having had that since my Freshman year of High School back in America, and my eyes burned so fiercely.

I knew right away I must have cried myself to sleep last night. I couldn't remember the last time I had done something like that-maybe a few months ago? That one was an anxiety attack, the one before that... self-loathing and the feeling of worthlessness. Wincing at the sharp needles attacking me from every nook and cranny of my body I forced myself to roll onto my back, bringing a hand up to my face and rubbing at my eyes.

I've been doing so well recently, too... I'm a little ashamed of myself. Why does loneliness bring out the self-hate one has buried in them? I'd probably be fine if I didn't come to Japan, but because Skylar and Eliza are constantly gone I'm always by myself. I have no one to talk to, to hang out with or trust in. It's horrible to feel lonely, but what's even lonelier is when you're in a room full of strangers. Sure, Skylar and I are in the same classes, but... because she's always out late for her prefect duties she's constantly sleeping in class. While I don't mind comfortable silences, it was really the only time I have to really see her. I have _at least_ ten minutes to speak to her in the morning, both of us rushing to get ready and so not to miss breakfast, and then maybe a decent fifteen during school lunch when we're not busy stuffing our faces.

Closing my eyes, I tried to recall our last conversation. Yesterday morning...?

Wait, hold on. That's right. I'm at the Headmaster's place right now. He's been inviting Skylar over for breakfast and dinner constantly. The two of us ate with him, Yuuki, Zero, and...

_And?_

I paused, finding the thought strange. There was no one else with us, was there? Oh god, I hope not. If they show up again and I don't remember their name I'll feel horrible! I'm already a bad person, but jeez... I can't even recall a face. So... _why_ do I feel like there was another person there? And...

 _Why do I feel like I'm forgetting something important?_ Just what did I cry over last night? I stared up at the ceiling in deep thought, questioning what all happened yesterday. There was... breakfast. Right? I remember... I remember when I woke up...

My mind went blank. It was as if I were staring at an empty white canvas, paintbrush in hand, with nothing to paint. Or, for a more accurate description, it was like I couldn't breathe. As if something were constricting me, caught in my throat and preventing any and all air entry or escape. Grasping, clawing, _reaching_ desperately for something you couldn't have.

Almost as if to mock me I began to have trouble breathing myself. _Wh-Why can't-Why can't I remember!?_ What am I forgetting!? I was speaking to someone-who was I speaking to? I-I-I-

Stuck. My heart felt like it was stuck in my throat and I struggled to get out from underneath the blankets, panicking and wheezing and falling off the bed as I pounded against my chest as hard as I possibly could, gasping loudly.

I can breathe. I can breathe, I can breathe, I can breathe, I can breathe-!

I felt so lightheaded. Pressure built on both sides of my skull, black spots dancing in my vision, and it was only as I was stumbling towards the door did I manage to breathe again, my body hitting the wood at full force as I went limp, failing to twist the doorknob and open it. I curled into a ball, knees to my chest, and pulled at my hair roughly as I tried to calm down. I mumbled to myself my mantra, tears burning like flames in my eyes. "I can breathe, I can breathe, I can breathe-" It was barely more than a choked whisper.

_Who was there!?_

The door cracked open, hitting my side, and I inhaled sharply with a gasp as I turned to look.

A single, surprised green eye looked down at me. "I-Irene-Chan?" I know that person. Who is that person? Wh-Why-Why-I can't... I can't... I don't understand... Why does this person feel so important? Why does looking at this person hurt so much? _Who is this person!?_ I scrambled clumsily out of the way, allowing the familiar blond to enter the room. "Irene-Chan..." The person spoke softly, stepping into the room and gently closing the door behind him. I was frozen, breathing heavy and the slightest bit scared.

He knelt down in front of me, his smile light and friendly, but his green eyes sad. It was this man. He was... He was... My fingers were suddenly holding tightly onto the collar of his pale blue button-up, hands trembling as I got onto my knees and stared him dead in the eyes. I was searching- _looking_ for something.

This person... it was him, wasn't it? Th-The one I can't... "I... Ichi..." My fingers twisted into the cloth of the unbuttoned collar, feeling the silk against my skin, and I looked deep into those emerald depths. Startled, sad, afraid... relieved. The name got stuck on my tongue, the word stuck in my throat, and I felt dizzy the more I tried to remember.

Talks... long talks... cooking in the kitchen. Laughter. Light, beautiful laughter...

A soft hand placed itself on my cheek, a thumb gently brushing away the tears. My eyes closed instinctively in a flinch when he leaned forward, resting his forehead against mine. He didn't seem to care that I was on the verge of strangling him, instead keeping that solemn smile on his face. He held my face in his hands and I choked again, fighting against the tears.

I _know_ I know this person, s-so why...? Why can't I remember? Who is he to me? "I... Ichij...j.." What's his name? It was such a nice name. Flowed off the tongue so easily...

"Do you remember me, Irene-Chan?" He asked quietly, voice barely above a whisper. I hiccuped, the tears falling even harder now. "I'm so terribly sorry..." I loosened my hold at his words, a numbness forming inside my chest. He pulled away slightly, something soft pressing against the top of my head, and I found myself being pressed against his chest in a strange, yet familiar embrace. Keeping a hand on the back of my head he pressed the side of my face into his shoulder. "This wasn't supposed to happen to you... I promised myself to protect you, from letting you get hurt even more... and yet now you're missing over half of your memories of me. Irene-Chan... tell me... what's making you fight to keep them even now?"

Wh... What? My breathing hitched at his words and I stiffened, awkwardly grabbing onto his shirt and trying to look at him. My actions were thwarted by him forcing me to keep the side of my face pressed against his shoulder.

"Don't." His voice hardened. It was scary. I... I don't think I've heard him speak like this before... No, _have_ I heard him speak like that before? I-I can't... recall... oh god, it hurts! I squeezed my eyes shut, clinging onto him tightly. His voice softened, "Don't look at me right now, Irene-Chan... It will only make you hurt more. I need to finish what Seirin started, otherwise... remembering will only harm you. There's no need to think too hard about this... I'm just a ditzy, incompetent manga-lover after all. No reason to remember someone like me. Although... I am selfish. I... find joy in the fact that you're doing this. That, even though it's hurting you, you're trying to remember... but Kaname's will is clear, isn't it? I'm sorry, Irene-Chan. You'll forget all this, but... I hope you can forgive me."

F-Forget... _No!_ Fearful of what was going to happen next I tried to pull away, not wanting to use violence against this person, but he was strong. "L-Let go-! No!" When it became clear he wasn't going to release me I tried to elbow him, but all that happened was that he let out a grunt and gripped tightly onto my hair, keeping a firm hold of me even as I struggled.

Suddenly, a wave of dizziness took over. Not from my migraine, but more like a sleep spell. It was hauntingly familiar and I could feel the images of the blond I was clinging onto fade away.

 _I-I refuse! I won't... I won't let..._ "N-No..." I don't want to. I don't want to forget. Don't make me forget... "Ichijou..." I could feel my body go limp, losing all strength it had, and as my eyes slid shut I could just barely keep hold of his one single, sad smile before everything went black.

When I awoke again I was greeted with that same empty feeling. This time, instead of panicking, I just laid there for a good hour before finally opening my eyes and sitting up. I felt lifeless, numb, apathetic even.

"Ah, you're awake?" A voice warmly greeted, a smile able to be heard even if not seen. I turned my head to look, face blank despite my intense confusion. I felt too... _lacking_ at the moment to try and incorporate any emotions onto my face. I didn't have the energy or the will. "I'm so glad! You fainted so suddenly; I didn't know what to do! Haha!" A man, almost like that of a porcelain doll, beamed at me brightly from the chair he was sitting in beside the bed I was on. He laughed, a light grin spreading broadly across his face.

I stared at him, blinking multiple times, and observed him. A part of me actually wondered if I was dreaming. Pale, acacia honey blond hair fell around his delicate face in slight waves, almost completely covering his right eye. That being said, the almond shaped orbs were decorated by dark blond lashes and were a shockingly pleasant shade of green. He was so lovely and bright upon first sight I almost believed I was looking at an angel or, if we're really going to go down that road, a devil. He was so unimaginably beautiful that if it weren't for the clear fact that he was flesh and blood I would have convinced myself he was a painting.

When I didn't speak up the blond's laughter died off. His smile was unfaltering as he looked at me. "Is there something wrong, "Fainting-San"?" His eyes were kind, almost overly so, and he carefully closed the book he was reading. My eyes flickered over to the article of literature, catching his action, and it was then I realized it wasn't actually a book. It was a manga.

 _Hellsing..._ I could feel the tiniest bit of emotion flood back into me when I saw the title. I never really had the chance to get into it, but I know it was about an ancient Vampire named Alucard. I remember something about how only virgins could be turned into Vampires, and he actually shot a chick to turn her into a vampire in order to save her. I think he worked for some kind of Hunter Association? I'm not entirely sure, but I do remember that Alucard was some kind of psychopath. "N-No, not... particularly," I settled on, knitting my eyebrows together as I shifted my gaze from the Manga to the male.

The blond tilted his head at me, still smiling. I wondered if he ever stopped and if he had a smile of steel. "Are you certain? You look rather ill..." Worry taking over his expression he set the book down on his lap and reached forward, leaning towards me and reaching a hand out towards my face.

Startled at the sudden action I flinched and recoiled before his hand could come into contact with my forehead. He looked surprised, green eyes widening, before the briefest flash of sadness entered his face. It was only for a second, maybe even barely that, for he was soon smiling again.

"I'm not going to hurt you," He promised, "I'm just checking for a fever." Biting my bottom lip nervously I resisted the urge to move away, reluctantly allowing the stranger to place a hand against my forehead. He appeared relieved. "You're normal... that's good." He then blinked, confusion flickering across his face. "Eh? Why is your face red?"

H-Huh? Oh, is it? Weird... "A-A bit... dizzy." I knit my eyebrows together in confusion, not understanding why my heart was pounding so frantically at the moment. What the heck is even going on? Where am I? Who is this person? "Um, I-I just... A-Are you okay?"

"Pardon?" Crap! I was stammering over my words, trying to clear up my mistake, when he chuckled and cut me off. "I think you should be worrying about yourself in this situation, miss. But to answer your question, I'm quite alright. Is there something bothering you?" His eyes were hard to read, his smile unidentifiable. It was as if he put up a barrier, refusing to be read. Regardless, he sat there patiently waiting for my response. He appeared very interested in what it was I had to say.

To say there was something bothering me would be an understatement. He said I fainted, right? And his smile... he looked so happy, so why did it feel like his smile was so forced? I searched his eyes for a reason, the male's smile twitching only a little as I did so, but in the dark depths of green I could only find the slightest semblance of pain. Maybe I was just imagining it...

There'd be no point in bringing it up either, right? We didn't know each other. I doubt he'd appreciate someone getting all up into his business. But... why was he here? Who the heck is he?

"Um, to better phrase that question," He started again, clearing his throat, "What made you think there was something wrong with me? You and I have never met before, yet the first time you see me you think something is off. Is there any specific reasoning as to why?"

And here's the situation I very much didn't wish to be in. "I-I just-I... I dunno, you just..." My voice went up an octave and I flinched, twisting and pulling onto the blankets that were resting on my legs. A nervous tick I failed to be rid of, it seems. One of the many, at least. "You looked... sad?"

The look he gave me said it all. Some of the force left him, making it obvious to all that his smile was strained. "You could tell? Just like that?" I-I don't know... lucky guess, maybe?

I gave a small shrug, uncomfortable with the situation at hand. "Am... Am I wrong?" I don't know what I'm hoping for anymore; I just want this conversation to be done and over with. Wrong or right, this is too tense for me to handle. I'm going to suffocate in this atmosphere.

"No, no. You're correct. I'm just surprised you'd noticed, that's all. You're very observant."

Ha. Tell that to my dad. Clearly you don't see how often I walk into walls or trip over my own feet. Wait, should I apologize? What does one do in this kind of scenario!? No, I shouldn't apologize. There isn't anything to apologize for. I should... um. I don't know. I didn't think I'd get this far.

The blond gave a small smile, this one more genuine than the last and filled with melancholy. There was the slightest bit of joy in that lamenting smile, however, and when he spoke next he kept his eyes on me, never breaking his gaze. "You see, someone I considered a dear friend had to leave and, with the way things are, I doubt I'll ever see her again. We're from two very different places, and so I had to do an awful thing in order to help her." His expression darkened, his hair falling into his face as he lowered his head. "Even now if I were to tell her about what I did, I doubt she'd forgive me. It was such an awful, horrible thing... it makes me wonder if I really do deserve the title of a "monster"." He laced his fingers together as he spoke, clutching his hands so tightly his knuckles were a blinding white.

I remained silent, listening carefully to what he said and replaying it over and over again in my mind. I didn't speak, waiting in case he decided to continue talking.

He chuckled, lifting his head up and giving an apologetic closed-eye grin. "Ah, my apologies. I got carried away, didn't I? Please, forget all that. It's nothing."

I stared at him intently, so intently that he actually sat up straight and looked at me with big, confused eyes. After a long, awkward moment I raised a hand up and pointed a finger at him sternly, movements a bit stiff. "No self-deprecation. A-Anyone who feels bad about hurting someone is _not_ a monster." His eyebrows rose, the green orbs so wide they were threatening to take up over half his face. "A-And... And if you two really are that good of friends, if-if you explained that you were trying to help I'm sure she'd forgive you. No lying. O-Or beating around the bush. I-I mean, I-I don't know _how_ she'd react, but if-if I were her and you explained and apologized I'd forgive you, so... so unless she's this really angry person who likes holding grudges then she should, too."

I kept pointing at him for a moment until I realized _who_ I was talking to and where. I was pointing. Horror dawned on me and I yanked my hand back, mouth opening and closing as I realized what I had done. I was being rude. I was being _extremely_ rude. Oh god. Oh god. Oh god!

"I-I-I-" I was so panicked I couldn't even think of how to say "pointing" in Japanese, only able to stammer out a repetitive apology. "I didn't mean to-to-" Oh god! Wait, should I bow? Should I get on the ground and kneel!? WHAT DO I DO TO APOLOGIZE!? I decided face-planting into the blankets and hitting my nose off my legs would be enough, crying out a very loud, "I'm so sorry! I-I forgot!"

"I-It's quite alright," He told me, fighting a laugh. "I don't really mind. It must be difficult getting used to new customs; there's no reason to panic so bad. You're allowed to raise your head." I started to do as told, slowly sitting up, only to freeze and look at him in alarm when I saw he had extended a hand out as if he were going to comfort me. He paused, realizing his action, and his smile became forced once more as he pulled away. "I... suppose I should be taking my leave now. You're probably uncomfortable with my being here."

I watched as he stood, the blond tucking his book against his side. I was confused, even more so by his actions. Was he trying to hug me a second ago?

The stranger turned and bowed, a hand over his chest in an overly polite and formal fashion. "I'm sorry if I startled you in any way; it was not my intention. I was simply waiting here for you to wake up... " He stood, giving a strained, closed-eye smile. "I'll go fetch the Chairman and he can explain everything to you properly, alright? It wouldn't be good if I were to remain here and stress you any further. You're probably filled with questions."

"N... Not really...?" Only a few. I just want to know where I am, why I fainted, and who the heck _you_ are. His smiled softened at my words and he shook his head, hair falling messily into his face.

"You're too modest. You need to believe in yourself more." My eyes widened at his words, startled by the sudden change of tone in his voice. "You're such a kind person, but you always deny it, and even when you don't know a person you go out of your way to help them." Is he talking about our conversation? But why is he talking like he actually knows me? I'm so confused. "Honestly, sometimes it's a bit infuriating." A light puff of air escaped him, his smile darkening. "There are people who would like to take advantage of that kindness. You leave yourself too open for attack, Irene-Chan. That's why you ended up like this now... You were too nice to a horrible person like me."

That... doesn't make any sense. "I... I don't know you." He turned his head, tilting it with a bitter smile as he looked at me.

"No... I suppose not." He then brightened, grabbing his book and lightly tapping it against his head. "But that doesn't matter! Forget all that! What I'm trying to say is that I'm really grateful for your words earlier. But you shouldn't worry about me; in fact, forget I even exist! I'm nobody important after all, and someone like you should find a friend who suits them! It was nice meeting you, Irene-Chan." He chuckled, expression lighthearted, but I was frozen still. As he left the room and made to close the door he cast one last look in, and in my shock I just barely caught the sorrowful smile he cast me. "Maybe one day... the two of us can speak again. Please, get well soon."

I watched as he closed the door, sitting there in silence and horror. _How did he know my name?_ I never told him my name; I don't even know his. Better yet, what was with the "-Chan" honorific? We don't know each other-why on earth is he calling me that? We're not friends. And- _who the heck is he calling cute and small? I take offense to being called small! I'm not that short!_ Okay, that's a lie, I'm very short. But still! Calling someone you aren't close to "-Chan" is rude, at least from my general understanding of it. You don't see me going around calling guys I don't have an emotional attachment to "-Kun" do you? _I'm not even that cute either..._

I mean, I'm not _unattractive_ but I wasn't the prettiest girl on the block either. I've been hit on once or twice, though according to my dad when we're at the store getting food or running an errand the guy he's talking would always be looking at me even though I'm typing away on his phone messaging my step-mom. That's to say I haven't noticed some things on my own, but I usually just ignore them. I wasn't Eliza, who was confident, nor was I Skylar, who was comfortable talking to people. I doubt I even looked that attractive right now, what with being in my pajamas and my hair a total mess. I haven't even washed my face...

I tugged at my fringe, knowing full well that the shorter, thicker strands of my hair was probably curled up and pointing in every possible direction, defying gravity with all its might. Nothing is more fun than a mop of hair you can't control, am I right?

I ran my fingers through the thick mess quickly before kicking the sheets off and heading towards the giant curtain-covered window, not really thinking but my feet guiding me there by their own will. As if guided by something I gripped the edges and pulled the heavy curtain open, gazing outside with a small squint. It wasn't too terribly bright out, but if I had fainted it would make sense I would react like that. My senses needed time to readjust...

 _He said something about the Headmaster..._ This doesn't look anything like an infirmary either. _Hey! How'd he get out there so fast?_ I blinked, seeing the blond I was speaking to walking outside. Suddenly, he paused. I watched as he turned his head, looking up. It was only a few seconds after we locked gazes that I realized he was looking at me and I panicked, quickly letting go of the curtain and ducking. _He saw!_ He saw me looking at him, oh god! He probably thinks I'm creepy now, doesn't he!? Wait. Why do I care?

I shook my head, not understanding why I was getting so flustered. This was starting to get ridiculous. What even happened? How did I faint? I tried to think on it, but all that happened was that I got a decent sized headache and no memories of any kind of event that could have possible lead to me passing out. Maybe I hit my head when I fell? The guy never said anything about a concussion or how long I had been sleeping.

As if to answer my prayers for an answer as to what was going on there was a light knock and the door opened, a familiar adult poking his head into the room curiously. His eyes lit up when he saw me curled into a ball by the window and he wasted no time in running over, clapping his hands ecstatically as he cried out, "You've finally woken up!"

A pair of arms pulled me into a spine-crushing hair, depleting me of any oxygen I had, and I gave a painful wheeze as he picked me up off the ground before quickly setting me down onto my feet. He grabbed my shoulders, shaking me a little, and exclaimed,

"Do you have any idea how worried we were!? You were completely unresponsive!"

 _Why are you touching me, please stop touching me._ I've spoken to this man probably once and that was only when we were first brought to the Academy. I don't remember any other conversations with him, so why is he acting so overly friendly? Was I actually right about him being a creep!?

The man had actual _tears_ in his eyes. "Yuuki, Rosemary-San, and I were so scared something awful had happened! Do you remember anything!? Anything at all?"

Do I _remember_ anything? That's an interesting question, especially since I wasn't aware I had been forgetting something at all. Actually, how far back _can_ I remember? It was an interesting thought, and one that scared me, but I found myself going through my stay here in Japan. It didn't take long to recount all the events, but it was rather boring as nothing interesting had ever happened. There were classes, Skylar became a prefect, and since she started that she's been sleeping twenty-four seven in all our classes so I never really have time to speak to her in the morning. And, on top of all that, because Eliza was in the Night Class I never get to see _or_ speak to her. I just went to class, balanced drawing and taking notes for Skylar, and collapsed in bed once I got back to the dorm...

Wait. Hold on. Something's not right.

What happened on my way to the dorms? I... I feel like I did something after class the first few days before I started heading straight to the dorm, but I-I can't... think of what it was. What was I doing? A-And... there was a girl. A girl with pink ribbons. She was... mad at me, right? Yeah!

I pulled my left hand up and ran my fingers gently over the scar, the Headmaster's eyes flickering over to the limb when I moved.

Was... she the reason I fainted? I... remember her stepping on my hand...

"Ah, that's right. You hit your head when you fell down, Taylor-San." Huh? I looked up at him, eyes wide. He was frowning, an oddly serious look on his normally carefree face. He pulled away and pushed his glasses up, crossing his arms. "A colleague of mine told me that a girl had been bullying you. You probably don't remember, due to the way things played out, but you ended up blacking out. The doctor assumed you would have amnesia, but we were hoping that wasn't the case..."

 _Am... Amnesia?_ He was joking... right? I-I don't actually have amnesia, _right?_ I-I remember my name and my family, not to mention my friends and all their names, s-so... so I can't have amnesia. _Wait, that's not true. There are different forms of amnesia; you have generic, retrograde, and the kind that makes it unable to form new memories..._ There were probably other types of amnesia as well, but I never went too deep into research of those. Chances were, since I can remember all this without any recall towards what happened before the incident, I have retrograde.

"Um, but don't worry though! Fujita Sakura-San has been temporarily suspended as punishment for wrongly attacking you, and her parents are actually discussing about sending her to a boarding school. She won't be harming you again." He said, smiling. I just nodded, unable to find the words to say in response to this new revelation. I just couldn't get over it.

To think I seriously have amnesia... It's just... I can't even describe what I'm feeling. It's so disturbing. I'm not sure why I was so bothered by this; I actually wondered what it would be like to have amnesia before. If anything, I would have expected myself to have just found this as an interesting scenario of which I could use as writing material. What did I even do to cause the girl to attack me?

I think that's what perturbed me most. I was used to dealing with bullies; people found me annoying more often than not back in America because I never stopped talking, if only for the fact that I talked loudly, but never had I been _attacked_. I've never even been in a fistfight before! I would at least like to know what I had done to make someone so mad as to completely snap... but I guess that the Headmaster either doesn't know or is refusing to tell me.

"But seeing as you're awake, I'll help you back to the Dorms. You're probably uncomfortable being in an unfamiliar place, right?"

Right... "Where am I, anyway?"

"You're in my guest room," He answered. I blinked dumbly at him, not entirely sure if I heard him correctly or not. "When you fainted and Takuma-Kun brought you to the infirmary, we relocated you here." Takuma... who's Takuma? I feel like I should know that name. Oh, could that be the blond guy I was talking to earlier!? "He was so brave! Like a knight in shining armor he picked you up and carried you all the way to the infirmary~!" The Headmaster squealed and pressed his hands against his face, doing a small twirl. I stepped back in alarm, feeling a mixture of embarrassed and amused. "It almost makes me wish it me in his arms! Oh, actually, I almost forgot!" He straightened, clearing his throat. "He left something for you."

He did?

With a grin, he pointed towards the bed. I turned to look, and saw that he wasn't actually pointing at the bed-no. He was pointing at the nightstand next to it. Residing on said nightstand was a bouquet of flowers, filled with colorful daisies and purple hyacinths. _How long has that been there?_ I walked over and tentatively picked it up, fearful of harming the flowers or causing any of the petals to fall off. _Why... did he get me flowers?_ I don't recall ever receiving any kinds of flowers when I stayed in the hospital as a kid, so why would a stranger go out of his way to get me a whole bouquet of them?

I lifted the flowers up to my face, taking a small whiff of them. My eyebrows raised in surprise and I had to pull away. The daisies had a mild smell, but the hyacinths had an extremely pungent sweet smell. While it was nice, it was also a bit overwhelming. The flowers themselves were exceedingly gorgeous though, and I had to give the guy credit for having good taste. It was also really nice of him...

I bit my bottom lip, a small surge of joy flooding my heart as I looked down at the flowers. A part of me wanted to rock back and forth on my heels and grin like an idiot, but I knew I couldn't and really it would have been stupid of me to. I was just a bit excited over the fact that someone gave me flowers. I wish I could thank him... wait, what was his name? Takuma? If he's in the Day Class I might be able to find him... but then again... he didn't seem like he wanted to talk to me any longer than he had to.

Some of the joy depleted, instead replaced with sadness, and I slumped my shoulders. I looked at the Headmaster in confusion, not understanding what could have possessed the blond man to do this. Why was he even waiting for me to wake up? I don't get it...

I opened my mouth to ask all the questions piling up, but I decided against it. I turned away, looking at the flowers again, before glancing at the curtain-covered window. I tried to think of what could have been going on inside that guy's head, but no matter what angle I looked at him from I just couldn't figure it out. Was he just doing it to be nice?

"You know, Taylor-San," The Headmaster began, calling my attention back to him. A small smile was spread across his face, "Here in Japan we often give flowers to people with a specific message in mind... Perhaps you should take some thought into what he was trying to get across?"

...What is he trying to say? I know what they mean; I love symbolism, so I always drew flowers with certain meanings in mind. Hyacinths are sorrow and an apology, whereas daisies are a get-well-soon flower. I don't even know the guy, so I doubted he was trying to get any kind of "message" across; I'm pretty sure he just chose them because they were pretty. The Headmaster is probably just overthinking it, but... "O-Okay..."

I mean, the flowers are really nice and all, and I appreciated the fact that the guy went out of his way to get them for me, but... if he was apologizing for something I had no idea what for. I went through our conversation, awkward and short as it may have been, but I seriously couldn't piece together what the "message" was. I think the Headmaster is crazy.

I let out a sigh, questioning the universe itself, and asked, "I-Is it alright if I head back to my dorm now? I... I feel fine, so..." Amnesia or no amnesia, all I had was a small headache. I'd be fine after taking some tylenol. Who knows; I might even remember something! Not. How does amnesia actually work?

"O-Oh, yes, of course! I wouldn't want to keep you here against your will." I nodded at his words, before pausing when I realized I was still in my pajamas. I fainted in my uniform... right? I'm pretty sure I was in my uniform when the girl stepped on my hand... who changed my clothes? The nurse? Yuuki's the Headmaster's daughter, so... did she? Or maybe it was Skylar? Ah, whatever. It doesn't matter. People are in class right now, so it shouldn't matter if I break it to the dorms in my pajamas. Or... Or maybe it does? Would it be offensive to do that? "Rosemary-San brought your clothes over while you were sleeping, so feel free to change."

She did that? Aw, Skylar... "O-Okay."

He chuckled at my repetitive response. Seeing how I wasn't going to make any action to move, he told me where the clothes were (or at least where the bag they were in was at) and that I could go ahead back to the Dorm after I changed. After he left I did so, throwing on another turtleneck and a pair of jeans, and stuffed everything back into the plastic bag.

I grabbed it with my left, carrying the bouquet of flowers with my right and pressing it against my chest so not to hit it against anything, and left the room. I was then left frozen, not knowing which way to go. I was greeted with hallway, unfamiliar doors going along the wall and at each end, and I hadn't the slightest idea which way lead out.

 _God dang it..._ I should have asked for directions, shouldn't have I? I groaned and hung my head, berating myself for my idiocy, and fought long and hard with myself until my eyes started to sting. _O-Okay... it has to be either that door and that door, s-so... Okay. Okay! We got this. W-We... totally got this._ It's so going to be the wrong room, isn't it? Skylar~! Eliza~! No. No. You know what? Screw it. I'm going to do it.

I had to force my feet to the end of the hallway, and had just placed my hand on the door when a deep voice demanded, "Where do you think you're going?" out from behind me.

There was no hiding or recovering from the ungodly shriek that escaped my mouth from my terror, and before I knew it was crouched in a kneeling position with the objects I was holding pressed close to my chest.

"The hell...?"

Hearing the confused voice I opened my eyes and blinked, hesitantly turning my head and craning my neck to look up at the stranger. Silver hair and lilac eyes... contacts? Or are they just that kind of gray? His hair has to be died though; there's no way that's natural. Um... wait, have I seen him before? He looks a bit like... oh! He's that man Yuuki hung out with once... right? I remember... I remember waiting or looking for Eliza at the gates. I think a girl hit him and he scared her off? "H-Hi." I awkwardly greeted, still kneeling on the floor. From the angle I was at I could see something poking out of his hand-it was a small black case. Reminded me a bit of a medicine holder, actually. "Wh-What's up? A-Aside from you, that is. Seeing as you're standing. Wh-What's the air like up there? Lovely? It's kind of chilly down here, honestly." I spouted out gibberish, flustered and humiliated. I wanted to crawl into a dark corner and bury myself next to a trashcan. "I-I'm Taylor Irene."

"I know who you are," He said, narrowing his eyes. He looked bothered by something. I decided now would be a good time to stand, hovering near the wall as I did so, and kept a firm hold of the flowers. "How's your head?"

"...Fine?" He didn't respond for a long moment, irritable expression never leaving his face, before his eyes trailed down to the flowers. "Where did you get those? Did Rosemary leave them for you?" Rosemary- _oh!_ Skylar.

"N-No," I stammered, shifting uncomfortably as I debated ending the conversation there and running out through the door. Sadly, because a part of me felt it was the wrong door, I refused to budge. "Th-There was..." What should I tell him? I don't know if I'm allowed to bring it up or not... "Um, s-someone gave them to me. H-He was waiting for me to wake up and-and apparently he bought me flowers?" I was still at a loss about that. Seriously, why go out of his way? "He... he was nice." I really wanted to thank him, but I didn't know where to go looking for him nor what to say once I actually found him. Wait! I looked up at the stranger hopefully, leaning forward a bit. He looked surprised. "Do-Do you know anyone with the name "Takuma"!? Th-The Headmaster said the guy's name was "Takuma". H-He's really tall and pale with blond hair, and-"

"...No. I don't." He closed his eyes and walked past, pushing me aside with ease and opening the door. "I'll guide you back to the Day Dorms. Classes are in session, so once you put everything back go to the main office and request a pass from the Headmaster. It should be around fourth period right now."

O-Okay... I didn't really want to, but... he did seem to know where he was going. Hold on-is he the Headmaster's adoptive son? I can't remember his name, but it would make sense if he was! It would also explain why Yuuki was around him. I stumbled after, struggling to catch up, and after making sure the flowers were safe and that I didn't drop anything I began to walk at my own pace. 


	13. A Lonesome Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Shiki starts to worry about his dear friend and Irene questions reality.

"Ichijou-San," Shiki murmured, shaking his sleeping friend. "Ichijou-San, you need to wake up. It's almost time to leave..." The model could hear the fangirls screaming outside even from the distance between them, his sensitive hearing and just the sheer _intensity_ that they were shrieking overwhelming him. Shiki liked his fans, they were the whole reason he's able to keep his job after all-they help support him and his career-but he wouldn't mind going a day without out all the squealing. "Ichijou-San..." Shiki shook the blond one more time, but to no avail. When he saw Ichijou wasn't going to wake up he pulled away and sighed. "You're normally awake hours before now..."

Maybe being up so early all the time before really impacted him? Vampires were nocturnal after all, so staying up so early had to have been painful. Maybe Shiki can tell the Dorm Head... If Ichijou needed his sleep, Shiki wasn't going to go out of his way and deprive it from him. To think just a few days ago he had beaming so brightly in excitement about eating breakfast with a couple Humans... One wouldn't even be able to tell how tired he was from staying up so much. It's only been a few days since the incident and yet...

Shiki blinked at his thoughts, a small realization hitting him. His lips twitched, tilting downwards just the slightest. He then placed his hands back on Ichijou's back, giving him one more firm shake. "Ichijou-San, wake up. _Now._ " He raised his voice a little, not wanting to put more effort than necessary, but determined to wake his friend up.

Ichijou jostled and turned, groaning and blinking groggily at Shiki. "Hmm...? Ah... is it time for class already?"

"You slept in." Was Shiki's blunt response. Ichijou looked surprised, pausing in rubbing at his face to look at the redhead.

"Eh? I did!? Oh dear! I need to get dressed!" He fumbled off the bed, Shiki moving out of the way and sitting down on the mattress, and as Ichijou stumbled over to his dresser to get ready he ended up tripping over the mound of clothes that covered the floor, faceplanting into a decent sized pile of socks and shirts.

"...Are you ever going to clean your side of the room?" Clothes were scattered everywhere, mountain upon mountain upon mountain, nothing but fabric covering half of the room whereas the side Shiki slept on was like a clean haven. Ichijou pulled his face out from the pile, grinning apologetically, but not seeming ashamed at all.

"It's fine, it's fine! They're made of the finest silk and cloth around! No one will care!" He pushed himself up, still smiling, but Shiki wasn't amused. He knew Ichijou well enough to tell when he was upset about something. The blond's smile was forced as he stood back up and carefully maneuvered over to the dresser, pulling out his uniform's black button-up and vest.

"...Ichijou-San."

"What is it, Shiki?" He asked curiously, quickly pulling his shirt off and sliding the black shirt on, fumbling with the buttons and throwing on the vest. "Are you hungry again? Did the blood tablets not fill you?" The redhead stared for a moment before shaking his head. Ichijou paused, fiddling with the burgundy tie, and tilted his head at Shiki in confusion. "Then what's wrong? Are you not feeling well? Do you want me to tell Kaname you're staying back today?" His eyes widened in alarm and he moved over, placing one hand on Shiki's shoulder and the other brushing his bangs out of his face as he placed his hand against his forehead. Ichijou visibly relaxed, smiling in relief. "No fever... Thank goodness."

Shiki pulled away, causing Ichijou to blink in confusion, and he gave the blond one of his more intense blank stares. It was normally a stare he gave when trying to get a point across. "Ichijou-San... stop pretending."

"E-Eh?" Ichijou stammered, startled. He then laughed, reaching a hand up and scratching the side of his head. "What are you talking about, Shiki? I'm fine~! Is this about me sleeping in today? I'll try to be better about that, but there's always a first time for everything. I was awake all the other days, wasn't I?"

"..."

"Shiki~. Don't give me that look. You're just grumpy because you're hungry, aren't you? Here," Ichijou brought his hand up to his mouth, biting down on the palm of his hand. His fangs elongated and pierced the flesh, blood trailing down and coating his hand. He held the limb out to Shiki, smiling kindly. "Feel free."

The redhead wanted to tell him that he _wasn't_ hungry, but it would have been a waste of blood. As the model reluctantly grabbed Ichijou's wrist and lowered his mouth to the injury, he muttered, "The hungry one is you, Ichijou-San..." The blond's eyes widened at his words, but Shiki didn't say anymore as he opened his mouth and dug his fangs into Ichijou's flesh, drinking the blood he was offering to him.

Unfortunately, Shiki was right; Ichijou _was_ hungry. Over the past few weeks he's been increasing the amount of blood tablets he consumed without much thought, longing to feel full again. It didn't take long for Ichijou to figure out why Shiki happened to be the one to notice his predicament, as Shiki was almost always the one by his side when he couldn't be found near Kaname.

Even now Ichijou's throat felt dry. It ate away at him, making him question if he was losing his self-control, and he always found himself popping another extra pill when he could. Ichijou's never been much of a glutton, but he just couldn't feel _satisfied_. It was like something was missing.

He tilted his head at model's words, wondering if he knew what was wrong with him. "Shiki... what are you trying to say?" His hand felt a bit numb, the blood being pulled away and out of the veins, and there was a light pain as Shiki removed his fangs from his palm. He swallowed the last bit of blood that was in his mouth, but didn't answer Ichijou's question just yet as he went and proceeded to lick any remnants of the crimson liquid off his friend's fingers. "Shiki... don't avoid the question. What do you know?"

The redhead opened his eyes, looking up at him knowingly, and pulled away. He licked his own fingers off, his voice soft and quiet as he spoke. "I think... you should talk to Terrier-San. You've been different since the Dorm Head ordered the erasure of her memories. Your smile... isn't as bright."

"Shiki..." Ichijou was stunned, but a warm smile soon spread across his face and he pulled his friend into a hug, holding him tightly. "Thank you for worrying... but really, I'm fine." He released him, grinning as best as he possibly could. "Besides, it's best if Irene-Chan doesn't speak to me; I'll just cause problems for her." He chuckled, "I don't want to bother her. She'll be better off without me."

If possible, Shiki actually looked _disappointed_ at his words. "Ichijou-San..."

Ichijou's smile faltered and he closed his eyes, sighing. "Shiki... do you want to know what actually happened?" The model blinked. The look the blond wore was pained, allowing for the emotions to truly show. "Seirin failed to erase her memory completely."  


"...?"

"She... She was crying, Shiki." He told him, knitting his eyebrows together as he recalled the scene that had taken place. He remember her clinging to him, choking on her tears as she struggled to say his name. "She was injured, too. Rosemary-San and Kiryuu-Kun were the ones who found her, so Seirin must have ran, because the next day when I went to check on her Irene-Chan.... Well, she recognized me."

Shiki frowned at his words, realizing what he was trying to tell him. "Then you... had to finish the job?" Ichijou's face darkened, green eyes losing a bit of their luster. Shiki stared at him, not sure how to respond to what he had been told. He's supposed to say something in this kind of situation, right? The pain in his chest was an unfamiliar one, but it told him enough to let him figure out that he really didn't like such a sad look on his best friend's face.

Maybe Shiki should ask Rima about this... She was better with people than he was and knew what to do in this sort of thing. Ichijou finally spoke again, the silence almost suffocating them both, and he said, "Yeah. I took all of them. Down to when we met. I left nothing for her to remember me by."

"..." A hand ruffling his hair snapped Shiki out of his thoughts, the male looking up at Ichijou with a blank expression despite his surprise. "Ichijou-San...?"

"But that's that! What's done is done; there's no going back. Now why don't I finish getting ready so we don't end up late?" He beamed, but the sight didn't comfort Shiki at all. It actually had the opposite effect, making him even more worried than before. Always smiling, always hiding, constantly refusing to come out from behind that iron barrier of a grin.

He watched as Ichijou picked a dirty pair of uniform pants off of the ground, the blond staring at them almost as if he wasn't sure how they got there, before he rummaged through the pockets and pulled out his medicine case. He popped out four tablets, placing them into his mouth and chewing before taking out two more and repeating the action. He looked even more at a loss, but shook his head and dropped the dirty clothes, heading back to his dresser to get the rest of his clothes.

It took about five minutes, Ichijou having to rush to brush his teeth and wash his face, and then they walked out with the rest of the lower classed Vampires. Ichijou greeted Eliza enthusiastically, the girl not being accompanied by a terrified Aidou this time, but she looked rather annoyed about something. Both knew what it was, but neither mentioned it until she suddenly reached out and grabbed Ichijou's arm as they were heading out the gates.

Ichijou paused, looking down at her with a small smile. "Yes, Riza-Chan? Ah, wait... it's... Eliza, right? With an "L"?" The American Vampire blinked before nodding with a smile, only to soon give him a concerned look.

"That is how you say my name, but... what about you, Upperclassman Ichijou?"

He feigned innocence, pretending to be confused. "What do you mean, Eliza-Chan?"

"About Irene. Seirin erased her memories, didn't she?" Oh, there was the rage. If he looked close enough he could see the fire threatening to explode right out of her eyes. "You guys were friends." As the other students passed Ichijou could see them all casting him glances-curious, concerned, intrigued-some were even amused. "You can talk to me, you know. I'm not a total bitch, believe it or not." She grinned a little at her own joke, knowing full well that's probably how she must have come off due to her constant arguments with Aidou and her threats towards Kaname. Why, she's this close to befriending her roommate in order to get her to place a curse on the rotten Pureblood...

Ichijou hummed thoughtfully, pretending to think. He was grateful she cared, but he really just wanted to avoid this subject completely. Besides, he talked all he needed to with Shiki and that was enough for him. He just needed to... _What?_

He was trying to figure out what his thought process had been leading towards when he smelled a familiar scent. Mild and sweet... calming and- His eyes widened.

Ichijou couldn't stop himself from turning to look. They were at just the right angle besides the gate that he could see some of the students that were still on their way returning to the Dorm, only partially blocked due to the horde of fangirls being held back by the three prefects. _Irene..._ He didn't even realize he started walking in that direction until an arm shot out and blocked him.

"K-Kiryuu-Kun?" The Headmaster's son gave him a glare. It wasn't as cruel as before, but it was still enough to serve as a warning. "Ah, s-sorry." His eyes flickered towards Irene's direction once more, watching the girl walk slowly towards the direction of the Day Dorms. Her head was lowered, notebook held close to her chest as she dragged her feet. It took everything he had not to run over and tackle her, to spout some nonsense about his morning in order to cheer her up.

Ichijou knit his eyebrows together when he felt a small cough coming on, his throat feeling a bit dry. Being so hungry so constantly... maybe he was catching a cold?

"Have a good morning, Kiryuu-Kun!" He told him with a bright smile, waving and stepping back. Some of the fangirls squealed in anger, believing Zero had scared the male off. The irony was that Zero had actually returned Ichijou to his senses. The blond Aristocrat made his way back over to Shiki quickly, not wanting to risk anything again, and rubbed at his throat unconsciously. He ignored his friend's intense gaze, instead laughing and telling him everything was alright. "I guess today is just a really "off" day, huh?"

"..." Shiki didn't respond. Meanwhile, from the back of the crowd, Eliza slowed down. She had watched the scene that took place with narrowed eyes, suspicion crawling and hate for a certain man blooming even stronger than before. Her gaze then flickered to Skylar, who happened to be arguing and glaring venomously at all the fangirls she was trying to keep back.

As if feeling her stare Skylar turned her head, locking eyes with the blue-eyed brunette. Something passed between them, the two girls feeling the spike shared only through those with a shared enemy. And it was at that precise moment they knew... something was going to have to change. One of them was going to have to do something. What that something was, they didn't know for sure, but they couldn't just sit idly by and let the situation remain as is. Someone was going to have to take action.

...

It was quiet. Silence surrounded the room, nothing but my own footsteps able to be heard as I entered the dorm. Four days have passed since I found out I had amnesia, but it still felt the same. Classes had ended, Skylar leaving off to the gates for her prefect duties, and some of the students who had been ushered off had retreated back to their rooms as well. I could hear them chattering, loud and clear as day, only a few of their words muffled, but it only seemed to add to the solitude the room gave me.

I hated it. I hated this quiet, I hated this noise, I hated the fact that there was _no one in here_. What was the point of all this? Why was I even here at Cross Academy? There's no logical reason or explanation; not to mention after thinking about it the Headmaster's words made no sense. I was here in Japan because Skylar needed a roommate, right? So what about the girl who just lost hers? Doesn't it need to be even?

I stood there for a long time, leaning against the door and thinking about everything. Exactly how much memory did I lose? What isn't the Headmaster telling me? Why did that girl attack me? I just don't understand it. I want an explanation. A logical, _reasonable_ explanation. A good ten minutes had to have passed before I pushed myself off the door and headed over to the vase of flowers I placed near the window, reaching out and gently brushing a finger against one of the petals.

 _Takuma..._ It was a nice name, I'll admit. Depending on the kanji I think it could mean either "genuine support" or "to cultivate flax"-flax being a kind of flower with blue petals. Either way, I really liked it. It was a bit awkward explaining to Skylar where I got the flowers from, or at least from who, but she didn't really seem all that surprised when I told her about the blond haired guy. I'm still pondering the thought of whether or not his hair was dyed or not-maybe he wasn't full Japanese? The Chairman and his son had odd hair colors too. I thought Japanese only had dark hair unless they married out of country? Yuuki and her wine-red eyes, too...

I stared at the flowers for a bit longer before slumping over and sitting down on my bed. I felt exhausted. Because of Skylar constantly being gone I never had anyone to talk to or anything to do except draw, and it becomes really hard to do that when you don't have anything to give you inspiration. So, without anything else to do but contemplate life and my meaning for existence, I just slept. Of course, that meant I always had trouble falling asleep at night but... I just didn't have the strength for anything else.

I couldn't see the _point_ in doing anything. No motivation, no energy, no... _reason._ I barely felt like doing my homework, and that was rather terrifying because I hated the thought of getting in trouble. The only times I ate was during breakfast and lunch, and that's even if Skylar and I make it to breakfast on time and I'm not the one sleeping in class before lunch. I ended up nauseous more often than not, but after a while it just stopped hurting. Now I only occasionally get lightheaded.

Was it normal to turn into such a slob so quickly? Maybe I really am too emotional; I'm getting so easily affected just from a lack of social interaction with my friends. _That's sort of pathetic,_ I thought to myself as I burrowed underneath the covers, still in my school uniform. I buried my face in my pillow, closing my eyes and levelling out my breathing. _Maybe I should take a shower when I wake up..._

If I even remember. I need to clean up my side of the room, too... ugh, so much work. I'll do it later. For now... sleep.

When I woke up after the next few hours I was still alone. It was pitch black out, stars bright as can be. I stared up at the ceiling for a long time before getting up and moving over to the window, looking out and staring at the night sky. I spent a few minutes admiring the beauty of the stars, and how lovely it was to be able to actually see them. I ended up getting Amalee's version of _Dearly Beloved_ from _Kingdom Hearts_ stuck in my head, bored out of my mind and lacking the motivation to do anything.

I felt a bit relaxed looking at the sky, and I even went so far as to open the window to get a better look at it. For once I managed not to fall or knock anything over, so the flowers on the sill were perfectly safe as I looked at the multitude of shining, colorful lights. I leaned over and buried my face in my arms, pressing my side against the edge as I rested against the window sill.

 _One day you will realize_ _the stars you were chasing shine bright deep inside you..._ _But will you ever let it shine from within and cast all of your fears aside? You'll see the light... but until that day comes..._

I yawned, tired beyond measure but my brain working overtime as I began to think once more about my current predicament. I honestly didn't know what to do. While I thought it would be good writing material, I also always believed forgetting to be scary. And knowing I had lost memories is... well, it bothered me more than I wanted to admit. I had nearly forgot about the girl who had attacked me, not to mention I was unable to recall at all what happened for most of this month. I was missing _so much_ and the worst bit is that I refused to tell anyone. I'm too scared to even talk about it. It... It feels wrong. Not knowing...

What if I was forgetting other people? I remember some conversations with Yuuki and her friend-what was her name again? Sayori? What if one of them asks about something we previously talked about, but I can't give an answer because I don't remember? Having amnesia...

I rubbed frantically at my face, desperate to stop the tears in fear of Skylar coming back early and seeing. I didn't want to have to explain; she shouldn't have to deal with this. I can... I can cope. _Yes, and by cope that means listen to more depressing music._ The lyrics to the song were playing in my head on repeat, unstopping, and for a moment I found myself able to truly, _truly_ understand one of the more broken characters in _Kingdom Hearts._ Losing one's memories... it's as if a huge part of you is missing. Like you're grasping at straws, yet not knowing why. What if they're bad memories? Would you really want them back? But it's like you need those memories, because they're part of what makes you who you are-they're a reason for your existence. Without memories, you're... nothing.

_My dearly beloved... be strong I shall be there... always here beside you, so keep your head held high..._

I sniffled and stood up, pulling away from the window and dragging myself to the bedroom door and kneeling down in front of it, pulling my knees up to my chest and grabbing fistfuls of my hair. The piano music played in my head, repeating, repeating, going on and on, unstopping. I wanted it to quit. I wanted it to stop. But it kept going... and going... and going...

_The shadows of this world will try to steal you away into their arms, but you belong in mine..._

"Shut up, shut up, shut up!" I cried to myself, mumbling incoherently as I covered my ears with my hands. I thought about hitting my head against the wall, the tears burning my eyes furiously, but fought against the urge as I knew it would do more harm than good. And, with my current situation, I didn't want to risk losing my whole identity as well.

_We are one within a dream, so hold me close and count the stars with me... all our scattered memories... I will find the pieces one by one..._

I want to go home. I don't want to be here anymore. I want Skylar. I want Eliza. I want my brother and my sisters. I want my parents. I want my _home_. I-I can't do this... I shouldn't even be here... this is all just one big mistake... I pulled at my hair painfully, tugging and yanking, and choked back a sob as I pressed the palms of my hands against my eyes. It hurts-It feels like someone poured acid directly on them. It hurt to breathe, too, and it felt as if someone had grabbed my heart with their bare hands and started crushing it. I-I just... I can't. I can't do this. I want to _remember._ I don't want to forget any more things. Life is so fleeting and important and... and I'm missing part of mine.

_Oceans waves drift over me... I'll keep you in my memory. This dream that lives within your eyes... I wish to see it come to life..._

Maybe if I tried harder... or if I kept my mouth shut... this wouldn't have happened? If I didn't antagonize that girl and let her attack me I would still have my memories, and... and I wouldn't have forgotten anything...

_A thousand blades unto the sky, reach out and link our worlds yours and mine... Let the tide rush over you and one day I know we shall meet again... my dearly beloved. But until that day comes..._

I'm such a horrible person. I'm scared to ask Skylar if anything important happened during our stay here so far aside from her being appointed prefect, because I don't want to risk the chance of her becoming upset with me. I know she wouldn't be mad, but... there's the doubt that's there.

_My dearly beloved, be strong I shall be there..._

When was the last time I even saw Eliza? I pulled at my hair again, squeezing my eyes tightly shut as I hiccuped. If I'm forgetting even the slightest bit amount of time I managed to spend with her then- _I can't... I can't forget._ Please remember. Please, _please_ let me remember. I don't want to forget any time I spent with my dear friends. "I want to know," I choked, voice cracking as I whimpered to myself, "I want to know, I want to kn-o-ow..." I hiccuped again and sniffled, coughing and wheezing and practically hyperventilating as I broke down.

_Always here beside you..._

To forget even a second of the time you spent with someone you cared about... If I did such a thing, could I even have the right to be called their friend? Sure you may forget exact details, but you at least know it happened and can recall the emotions that went with it. The emotions you shared. But this...

_So keep your head held high..._

"I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," Please forgive me. I didn't want to be such a bad person; I didn't ask for any of this. I-I don't... I don't even know what happened! But that puts me at fault, doesn't it? Ignorance in and of itself is a crime. If I had tried harder, if I was nicer, if I was _better_ then I would still remember. Forgive me... please forgive me... "I'm s-so s-sorry..."

...

"And you're _sure_ this will work?" Skylar asked, holding the doll in her hand. The blacked-haired woman sitting down at the desk in front of her nodded, blinking her amber eyes at the Hunter confidently. The woman had one leg crossed over the other, an elbow propped on the desk with her cheek resting against her knuckles.

"Uh-huh. Hundred percent. See the hair on it's head? Real hair. _His_ hair. My dolls are one completely authentic."

"...And this will really help me curse him?"

"Mmm... see, that's where it gets complicated. Because he's not like us, me and Ferret-San, who are low-level Vampires, there's a pretty decent chance that the magic won't work. And, if it does, it will probably feel like a small itch if you stab it with a needle." As if to demonstrate she picked up a pin out of a pinwheel that was residing on the desk and stabbed it straight through the doll's hand. "Seeing as he hasn't showed up and there's no smell of blood... well, it isn't very effective."

Skylar scrunched her nose up, whereas Eliza looked at the doll skeptically. The Vampire had only been joking when she brought up befriending her crazy roommate, but Skylar had taken her completely seriously and asked her to introduce them. To the girl's surprise, and slight horror, the two actually got along pretty well. In exchange for the voodoo doll all Skylar had to do was bake the girl some cookies for a few days; it turned out she was a massive sweets lover. One wouldn't have expected it from looking at her though.

"Alright, well... I'll take it anyway! Even if it fails, it'll still help me with my anger issues." Skylar laughed, though while it was said as a joke Eliza had a strange feeling that the girl was being completely serious. "I've always wanted a Voodoo doll... now I can stab that stupid Pureblood in the face whenever I want! Thanks, Chiharu-San!"

The dark-haired girl gave a small smile, the bangs falling into her face as she looked up at the Hunter. "It's always a pleasure doing business, Rosemary-San... Just know, I'm looking forward to those cookies." She chuckled and chills went down Eliza's spine, the laugh sounding more malicious and frightening than anything else. "The dolls tell me that you speak the truth when you say you can cook..."

"And they're not wrong!" She beamed. Eliza sighed, wondering why things had come to this. They were literally resorting to black magic... normally she wouldn't care, but... Chiharu seriously creeped her out. She just wished she knew why she creeped her out so much. "I'll bring you some tomorrow, okay? Thank you~! I really appreciate this. Man, I can't wait to show Irene!" That poor girl is going to be so freaked out. Eliza shook her head, but smiled and said,

"Well, seeing as we're done with that, you should probably get back to patrol before Kiryuu-San finds outs. I don't think you want to deal with another argument from him."

Skylar hummed, grinning a bit. Her eyes seemed to brighten up at the thought. "Well, I dunno. It's kinda fun messing with him. But if I must go back to patrol I shall," She sighed, grieving over the fact she was forced to take this job. But, despite her complaints, Skylar didn't waste any time. One moment she was standing there, the next she was jumping out of Eliza and Chiharu's bedroom window.

Eliza then looked at Chiharu, the hairs on her arms standing, and the dark-haired Vampire let out a low, deep chuckle as she grinned. "I like her... I think we shall become quite good friends."

 _Th-That's nice..._ Eliza thought, taking a small step away from her. She was seriously debating asking the Headmaster if she could have a different roommate. 

...

The next morning wasn't something I would like to talk to about. My eyes were badly swollen from crying like I did last night and, even after I had finished getting ready, Skylar was nowhere to be found. The bow on my uniform was lazily tied, and it took all the strength I had to even button the top and blazer. I didn't spray my hair either-instead just washing my face and brushing the giant mop of brown in order to get it to stop defying gravity.

I slid my shoes on, having finally gotten the proper uniform shoes two days ago, and fiddled with my fingers as I sat on the bed and waited for my purple-haired friend to show up. When over half an hour passed and she still hadn't arrived I began to get paranoid, wondering if something happened to her. Did she fall asleep during patrol? If that's the case then I should go looking for her, right?

But... isn't Yuuki a prefect as well? Chances are she'll find Skylar and wake her up, unless... she _doesn't_ find her. Then Skylar will be left sleeping and will end up getting into trouble for skipping class. To or not to search...

What if in the middle of looking she returns to the dorm and I'm left wandering about endlessly? Then _I'll_ be the one to get into trouble. This sucks... I don't know what to do.

O-Okay. You know what? Screw it. I'm going to do it. I'm going to go looking for her.

With that thought in mind I pushed myself up and left the room, ignoring once more all the stares the girls I passed gave me. I never understood that-ever since I came back to the Dorms a few days ago I've been getting glares and scowls left and right. While I was used to hostility, I was never used to hostility in such a great amount. Were they friends with the girl who got suspended or something? Did they blame me for that?

 _I suppose it is my fault, though..._ I had to have done something to tick that woman off. I just wish I knew _what_ it was that I did wrong. There was also whispering about an upcoming dance-a dance the Headmaster apparently decided to throw for their holiday on the twenty-fifth of September. I didn't pay much attention to it, as I could care less about dances since I never really did anything at them except sleep in a dark corner, and just continued on my way. I hesitated when I arrived at the door, certain that through some horrible stroke of bad luck Skylar was going to climb in through the window while I was gone, before forcing myself to open it and leave.

I didn't really know the way to the woods, as the most information I could recall about them was that they helped separate the Moon and the Day Dorms, and so I took the long route towards the direction of the school. I fumbled with the hem of my skirt, a little uncomfortable with it since I almost always wore jeans, but since I wore leggings it didn't bother me as much as it should have. _It's so quiet..._ I chewed on my bottom lip, glancing around the empty campus as if expecting something to jump out and attack me. _Skylar, just where the heck are you...?_

I took a shaky breath, trying to calm down, and turned direction once I reached an area where the forest could be accessed. _There aren't any bears or anything like that, Irene. You aren't going to be brutally beaten and eaten alive._ It's okay; you're alright. No harm is going to come to you this time. _Wait, what?_ "This" time? Since when I had even been harmed in the woods? I can't even remember the last time I had _been_ in a forest!

And yet, as I stood there staring into the darkness, I was completely and utterly frozen to the ground. My heart beat loudly in my chest, racing with a fear I was unable to explain. Every instinct was screaming at me to run as far away as possible, telling me this was a dangerous idea.

 _I don't want to be here._ Skylar. Skylar, where are you? _I need to find her. I-I have to..._ I have to find her. What if something bad happens? No, what if something bad already happened!? This forest could have anything in it a-and... and... I can't believe I'm doing this.

I groaned and scratched furiously at my head before smacking myself in the face, crying out at the stinging pain that formed. My heart was still pounding, and I was still utterly terrified of going into a dark pair of woods by myself, but it was better than nothing as it got me to snap out of my dark thoughts. Okay. Now. Let's do this.

"Charge~!" I exclaimed, marching forward determinedly. I _was_ going to find my friend, and if I get into trouble for being in the woods when I'm not supposed to then... well, my loss. I-I can... I can handle getting yelled at for once. "We're off to see the Wizard," I mumbled, trying to cheer myself up with a song and failing miserably, "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz..."

Songs, songs, songs, what other good songs do I know? Hmm~ Something that _isn't_ depressing, preferably, a-as I don't know... how much longer I can... handle being in here...

I looked around nervously, hands held close to my chest as all kinds of horrible thoughts started to race through my mind. I kept repeating to myself that it was okay, that nothing was going to jump out at me, but it did little to ease the anxiety. I began to rub my arms, muttering all sorts of nonsense to myself. My eyes were burning again, stinging almost as much as my face had earlier.

"While running errands in a peaceful town nearby," I shakily began, turning and heading in a different direction, "I ran into a pleasant lady with emerald green eyes... Smiling with her face so fair, singing with her voice so bright; I was captivated right then knowing love at first sight... _Skylar~!_ Where are you!?" I stopped singing, unable to take it anymore, and wailed loudly. She returned to the dorm already, didn't she!? I knew I shouldn't have come out here! "I-I can't-I can't-!" The tears started falling without my consent, the sob building up on my throat and leaving me to choke on the words I tried to speak. "S-Skylar!"

Sadly, no purple-haired girl came running out of the the woods. I was scared, but even I had to admit that this was getting ridiculous. How on earth could it be so hard to find one person? She has _faded purple hair_ for god's sake! She's probably off sassing someone. _I-I should probably head back..._ The question is though... which way _is_ back? And I haven't found her yet either, so if she isn't actually sassing someone and hadn't headed back to the dorm that meant I was leaving her to the wolves.

Breakfast was probably over by now, too, so there was likely only a good ten minutes before the bell rang. If I didn't find her soon we were both going to end up late and... No. No. The Headmaster forced this job upon her, right? That means she _can't_ get into trouble. She gets zero amount of sleep due to her prefect duties and therefore shouldn't get yelled at. The Headmaster has to understand that, right?

W-We can explain and... and everything will be okay.

I took a deep breath and sighed, kicking my feet against the ground. A thought then came to me. _Eliza._ What if Skylar went to visit Eliza? The two weren't that close, but they were still friends. So... I can try the Moon Dorm? _If she's not there I'm going back,_ I decided, blinking away the tears in my eyes as I sniffled. _She's going to be there, I'm going to grab her, we're going to the Office and explaining a-and... and then we're getting a note to give to the teacher._ I forced all negative thoughts out of my mind; a feat that was actually quite difficult to do for someone like me, as while I was a realist I also tended to define myself as a cheerful pessimist.

"Okay," I breathed, clapping my hand together in front of me. "We can do this! Charge~!" I pointed in front of me, hand just slightly raised above my head, before taking really long steps as I marched to an imaginary beat. I wandered around for a bit, taking a good five minutes to realize that if I just raised my head I could see the tips of the buildings. I ended up flicking myself on the temple when I realized how stupid I was and quickly redirected myself in the direction of the Moon Dorm.

It was only when I saw an old man residing within a booth that I slowed down, resolve wavering at the thought of confrontation. My best guess was that he was the Gatekeeper of the Moon Dorm-most likely hired to keep out crazy fangirls. That meant without a note or something there was no possible way I could get in...

 _Ohh! But what if he actually saw Skylar!?_ I don't have to go in; I just have to know if she's here or not! That could work. He could go in and get her. I-If... If he's okay with that... um. Wow. I really don't want to talk to that person. There were so many ways this could end badly...

Berating myself inside my head for being an idiot I reluctantly approached the old man, raising a hand up and tentatively opening my mouth to speak. I couldn't even get out two syllables when he glanced at me and turned away, grumbling and waving me away with his hand.

"Just go ahead already."

Wh... What? I blinked, completely dumbfounded by his words. Did... Did he mistake me as Yuuki or something? We don't even look remotely alike...

"Why are you still standing there?" He looked greatly aggravated and, not wanting to anger him further, I scurried away in the direction of the Moon Dorm as what courage I had built up crumbled away.

I cringed at the sound of the bell ringing in the distance, trying to cheer myself up with sarcasm as I thought about how I wouldn't have to stare at kanji for a while. I brought my arms up, hugging myself as the whole inside my chest became prominent once more. I wanted to do nothing else except crawl into a dark corner at the moment, but I knew I couldn't. I was here for a reason after all.

The walk to the entrance took maybe about a minute at most, and when I arrived I found myself staring at the door as I debated what to do. The gatekeeper clearly had to have mistaken me for someone else, so if I went in he might get in trouble when it's revealed that I'm not who he thought I was. But there was also the possibility Skylar was inside...

I raised my hand to knock, but froze. What if there were a lot of people in there? I-I don't want to... to...

But that guy looked so angry, too! He might yell at me if I go back without doing whatever it was I came to do. I-I don't know what I should do...

I groaned and leaned forward, resting my forehead against the door as I tried to come up with the best course of action, taking into account all possible scenarios and the consequences that came along with it. It seemed that the world already had plans for me, however, because suddenly the doors opened and I was sent falling forward, crashing directly into some poor woman's chest and knocking us both to the ground as we screamed.

There were grunts and shouts, and the moment we landed I wasted no time in scurrying off of her and crying out multiple apologies in horror. "A-Are you okay!? Oh my god; I'm so sorry, I didn't meant to- I didn't hurt you, did I!? Oh god, oh god; I'm so sorry!" I could feel the tears sting my eyes as I attempted to help her up, but I ended up recoiling when she smacked my hands away. I retreated into my shell, curling my hands against my chest as I flinched.

"Don't touch me!" She snapped, glaring at me from her spot on the ground. "I'm fine." She stood on her own, letting out an indignant huff as she brushed off her white skirt and the black button-up of her uniform. Her blazer was missing... She must have taken it off when she got out of classes. Somehow, despite having fallen, she looked elegant and proud, her acorn-brown hair cascading around her in waves. I stammered out another apology, and the girl glared at me with her caramel eyes. "Stop that already; it's getting annoying."

"S-Sorry!" Her glare intensified and I promptly shut up, clasping my hands over my mouth to prevent myself from speaking any further.

"Just what are you even doing here? You're a Day Class student, aren't you? Why did the gatekeeper let you in?" She fired off questions, one after one, and I was left standing there completely overwhelmed in a mixture of fear and anxiety. I clung tightly onto my sleeves, scared and concerned. She didn't _look_ like she was hurt... b-but she's yelling at me, so... I think she's okay. "Wait a minute!" Her eyes widened, realization blooming across her face. "You're that girl!"

Girl...? Hold on, did Eliza tell her about me or something? What is she talking about?

I cautiously lowered my hands away from my face, holding them close to me as I looked at her in confusion. "What... What do you mean?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows. She refused to give clarification, instead staring at me in disbelief.

"I can't believe this... Even after what's happened you're still being that persistent?" After _what_ happened? What is she talking about; wait, she doesn't know about my amnesia, does she!? But what am I being persistent about? I didn't know her, did I? Oh god... please tell me I didn't know her before. The woman narrowed her eyes at me, frowning deeply. "Just what kind of relationship did you even have with Lord Takuma?"

My eyes widened in surprise hearing that name, having not expected it to come out from her mouth. After thinking about it it made sense, as I had never seen the man at lunch or in the mornings on the way to classes, so he _had_ to have been a Night Class student. I was unable to stop the huge grin spreading across my face, the dark cloud that had been previously covering me lifting. "T-Takuma-San is here!? Where!?" I didn't bother to question why she called him "Lord", I just felt excited. I could finally thank him.

The emptiness I had felt before had vanished, the abyss in my heart filling with just the tiniest bit of life.

...

"Why are you so okay with all this?" Skylar demanded, glaring at the smiling blond as he worked on making a cup of tea. He refused to look at her, keeping his gaze firmly planted on the cup as he stirred the sugar into it. "I thought you cared about her!" It had taken nearly the entire morning before Skylar was able to corner him. He was as slippery as a snake, and she was about ready to strangle him if he didn't stop smiling. "Answer me, Ichijou!" She slammed a hand down onto the counter.

She had managed to chase him down into the Moon Dorm's kitchen, the blond somehow managing to avoid her at every corner. But not this time. No, this time she was going to get her answers. Skylar had trusted Ichijou, she honestly thought he was a good person, and had believed he truly cared about Irene as a friend.

Her glare intensified, and as he tapped the spoon lightly against the cup he looked at her out of the corner of his eye. When she spoke Ichijou slowly raised the cup of to his lips and took a small sip, blowing on the hot liquid.

"Was I wrong...?" Skylar questioned, narrowing her eyes. "Actually, answer this; if you don't care about her, why in the _hell_ did you wait for her to wake up and even went so far as to buy her flowers?" When Irene had told her "Takuma" had done all that Skylar was happy; it seemed that Ichijou really did want to remain friends, and was actually going to go against a certain Pureblood's wishes to do so, but these past few days he's been doing nothing but avoiding her...

Irene was always such a bubbly character, but now it seemed as if all the life had been sapped out of her. The smile that had always brightened up the room was gone... and it was this man's fault. Why?

"Tell me!"

Ichijou closed his eyes and set the cup down, the look on his face an unidentifiable one. The smile remained, but there was no joy behind it. His eyes just held sorrow as he picked up the spoon and started to stir again, this time doing it slowly. "I wanted to apologize..." He murmured, voice quiet. "What I've done to her is unforgivable, Rosemary-San." Her eyes widened.

"No..." He wasn't... No. But Ichijou was-He was one of the exceptions! He can't... be the one who did it. There's no way. "You're lying." He turned his head to face her, his expression telling her everything. Rage and disbelief boiled up inside her, the emotions rampaging and conflicting like an uncontrollable storm. "You're lying! _You_ erased them!? Why the hell would you do that!?"

The cup shattered into pieces, hitting the floor when Ichijou was forced to let go due to being slammed against the counter, his lower back digging into the edge. Skylar was _fuming_ ; her brown eyes were filled with such anger and hate... yet Ichijou never diverted his gaze.

"...Because she was hurting."

_What?_

He lowered his eyes, finally dropping the smile. Skylar loosened her hold, looking up at him in confusion. "Seirin failed to erase them all, and because of that she was... breaking. It was my existence that brought her to that state, so I thought I should fix my mistake. I was selfish... and because of that Irene-Chan was put in danger." He closed his eyes, turning his head away. "I wasn't going to let her go through the agony of remembering who I was, so I took all the memories she had of me. There's nothing left." His green orbs were dark and mourning, a bitter smile spreading across his face. His words, while hopeless, felt like a challenge to Skylar. "You can't do anything."

She released him, stepping back with a determined glare. Like hell she couldn't. "Try me," She growled. Skylar didn't hate him as much as she had started to, as she understood his reasoning, but she was still greatly upset. Recalling a memory a Vampire makes you forget can be exceedingly painful, so he must have saw Irene in one hell of a state to make the decision to erase himself from her memories willingly. The more stubborn one is when the memory is being erased had a lot to do with the intensity of the pain as well. If she had been hurting that bad, then... she really must have wanted to keep this person close to her.

Skylar wasn't sure how to feel about all this; Irene really cared about Ichijou, his words just proving this even more, but while he was trying to help her he actually made things _so much worse_. Skylar was torn, as she wanted to hate him and curse him with all she possibly could, but at the same time she found it difficult to. He just wanted to help Irene. So, without anyway to sort out of her feelings or express them, she ground her teeth together and ran off.

Ichijou watched Skylar sadly as she stormed off, wishing there was some way he could fix the situation but knowing there wasn't. He sighed and lowered his eyes, before moving over and kneeling down next to the broken cup. Tea was all over the floor. "What a shame," He murmured, picking up a shard of the broken glass to distract himself. "Just look at this mess..."

...

The woman's eyes had widened at my words, the brunette stunned to the core. "Y-You... actually know who he is?" There were footsteps, but neither of us paid any attention to them. We were too caught up in the conversation at hand. "How!? When were you able to speak to him?" The footsteps.

Meanwhile, I was still smiling brightly, though I was now holding tightly onto my fingers in order to avoid fiddling with them. "I-I ended up fainting the other day and-well, the Headmaster said he was the one who carried me to the infirmary. Takuma-San actually waited for me to wake up." I bit my bottom lip, not entirely sure why I felt so giddy at the thought. I think I was just excited at the prospect of making a new friend. I rocked on my heels a little, lacing my fingers together behind my back. "I-I actually wanted to thank him for that a-and..." I was a little awkward saying the next part out loud, not wanting her to get the wrong idea, but since I used the honorific next to his name I convinced myself she'd understand. "And the flowers he gave me."

"Lord Takuma... did all that?" I blinked and knitted my eyebrows at her reaction, seeing just _how_ shocked she was. "Hold on, you seemed surprised to even know he was here; for what reason did you come to the Moon Dorms?" Her gaze was calculated now, no longer disdaining. Her question reminded me of the whole purpose of my journey.

My eyes widened and I jumped, alarmed and horrified at the reminder of how one-track minded I truly was. "Skylar! Oh god, I completely forgot about her; you haven't seen a girl with purple hair around here, have you!?" I looked around, finally taking note of the silent redhead standing just a few feet away from us in the room, before looking at the girl I was talking to pleadingly. "Sh-She's a prefect and she normally comes back in the morning, but she hadn't appeared at all so I thought she fell asleep, but I couldn't find her a-and we're late for class and o-oh god, oh god, oh god!" I started to panic, tears welling up in my eyes as I shifted from foot-to-foot nervously, looking around the room as if she was going to pop up at any moment. My hands were curled to my chest, my breathing getting heavy as I threatened to break down crying.

The woman's eyes widened, startled at my freak out. "H-Hey, calm down-" She stepped forward, extending a hand out, before pausing when she noticed the other person in the room. "Shiki? What are you doing here?" Wh-Who?

I sniffled, turning to look at the stranger. He was quite good-looking, which thinking about it so was Takuma and this woman, what with his sharp cheekbones and dark lashes. He stood at a decent five foot eight, only a couple inches taller than the woman I was speaking to. While my mind was racing with horrible thoughts, I managed to calm down enough to focus on the situation at hand.

Something I found interesting about this man, though, was the complete expressionless look he wore on his face. His stone-blue eyes were hard to read, too, although it felt like he was staring right through me and into my soul. "I heard you talking to someone," He answered, looking at the woman blankly. His voice was soft and monotone, little to no emotion heard in it as he spoke. "She smelled familiar..."

...Hah? Wait, is he talking about me? What does he mean "smelled familiar"? What is he, a bloodhound? Or does he just have a super sensitive nose? Oh god, I don't smell bad do I? I should have taken that shower after all... I slumped my shoulders, upset all over again.

"When I came down the stairs, it turned out to be Terrier-San you were talking to..." He continued, glancing at me. My eyebrows raised, startled by the fact he knew my name. _He can't pronounce it either, huh?_ It seemed a lot of people here couldn't, though considering "L" was not a letter in their actual language it made sense. "I'm surprised..." The man murmured, not sounding surprised at all, "I didn't think you'd come here... Was it for the tutoring? You missed the last few days..."

"Shiki!" The woman snapped, glaring at him. "Stop that. Are you trying to make Lord Kaname angry!?" Tutoring? What? I feel like the man, Shiki, was trying to bait me into something, but I wasn't sure what. No...

Please tell me I'm wrong. Please tell me he wasn't someone I knew. My heart beat in fear at the thought, self-disdain and scorn washing over like a wave as I went over all possibilities of how I could have known this man. He said tutoring-did the Headmaster appoint him as my tutor or something? Was he friends with a person who had been tutoring me? Oh god, did that mean I forgot about _two_ people? No, no, no, no. No. That-That can't...

He gave her a look, staring at her out of the corner of his eyes. The woman continued ranting.

"And why are you calling her "Terrier-San" even though you can speak English properly? What are you trying to do?"

"...Speaking English... is a pain." He said slowly, ignoring her second question. He reached into his pants pocket and pulled out a small bag, ripping it open and taking out what appeared to be a stick of chocolate pocky. He wasted no time in putting it in his mouth and chewing, closing his eyes as he did so. "I don't want to waste anymore energy... if I don't have to."

"Then why did you speak it the other night!?"

"...Ichijou-San wanted help." He then looked back at me, causing me to stiffen. His gaze was so piercing-it was highly unnerving. It was as if he was analyzing me, trying to decide what kind of person I was. It took everything I had not to bolt out of the room then and there. After what felt like eternity, he finally spoke. "You said... Ichijou-San brought you flowers when you fainted?"

Scared of speaking I nodded, swallowing the lump forming in my throat. "Y-Yeah," I choked. Was "Ichijou" Takuma's last name? It's the only thing that made sense. "D-Do you know him? O-Or seen a girl with purple hair running around?"

"...I can bring you to him." Disbelief shown on my face, while the girl looked furious. Next thing I knew the man had grabbed my arm, pulling on my sleeve and trying to drag me away as he placed the bag of pocky back into his pocket. "You can talk to him-" He cut himself off and frowned, not that he was even smiling in the first place, when the brunette woman grabbed my other arm to stop him. He looked at her, his expression making it seem as though she had just kicked his favorite puppy.

"You can't do this, Shiki," She hissed. "Do you have any idea what will happen if you do? This is complete and utter disrespect to Lord Kaname! I know you care about Lord Takuma, but you can _not_ do this. Please, think about your actions!"

I looked back-and-forth between them, lost. Was Takuma, no, Ichijou a really important person? Was he the heir to some super massive company or something? I'm so confused. I know everyone in Cross Academy was rich, but... to go so far as to call someone "Lord"? "I-I don't..." I spoke nervously, the two stopping their argument to look at me. I felt uncomfortable being put under the spotlight, but I really wanted to stop the argument for escalating any further. I hated fights. "I-I don't have to t-talk to him or anything... I-I just, I just wanted to thank him. Y-You can... You can have someone else tell him that if... if it'll bother him for me to do it."

The woman looked relieved at my words, but the redhead was stubborn. He tugged on my arm again.

"You tell him." He bluntly said. I looked up at him exasperatedly, unable to believe this. Can't he see I'm trying to stop the fight? I attempted to pull my arms away from the both of them, but they had grips of steel. Or maybe I was just weak? Probably the latter. "Talk to Ichijou-San..." His grip tightened. I knew I was going to have a bruise. W-Why was he so adamant on me talking to him?

"Release her _now_ , Shiki," The woman growled. "I am not going to compromise with you on this." He stared at her for a long moment, then at me, before releasing my wrist and sighing.

"I'll give him your message then... Souen-San is being fussy."

"I am _not_! I'm just trying to stop you from causing Lord Kaname anymore problems! He's a very busy man."

...I think Shiki and I had the same thought at that moment, the two of us just staring at her blankly as her face flushed. She looked indignant and embarrassed at the same time, a light pink on her face. If Kaname was the one who was busy, how come I couldn't talk to Ichijou? Her logic made no sense at all...

I pulled my arm away from Souen, who released me, and I backed away. I turned my head away from Souen, resisting the urge to roll my eyes at her, and bowed to Shiki as best as I could. I stood up, fiddling and pulling on my blazer's sleeve as I said, "W-Well... just, just thank him, really. A-And..." I tried to ignore it, but I kept thinking about the Headmaster's words. "And it's probably nothing, but if he was trying to apologize for anything c-can... can you tell him it's okay? I'm-I'm not blaming him for anything. O-Oh! And-And can you tell him it was nice to meet him?"

He blinked. Souen looked surprised. "You don't... blame him..." Shiki said, repeating my words. I nodded, smiling tentatively.

"Y-Yeah." I felt rather idiotic, not knowing why I was taking the Headmaster's words so seriously, but purple hyacinths stood for sorrow and apologies... and, well, what if Ichijou was trying to apologize for something after all? I don't know why he would do it in such a roundabout way, or why he'd even be apologizing for anything at all when he's done nothing wrong, but hey-what do I know? Quite literally, unfortunately, as I'm missing over half my memories of my stay here in Japan... "Um, th-thank you. I-I'm just... going to go look for Skylar now." Oh god, how much time has passed? I haven't heard a bell, so maybe only twenty minutes? I pointed nervously at the door, stepping back, and waved. "It-It was nice meeting you both! B-Bye-Bye- _whoa!_ " My back suddenly crashed into a chest, a pair of hands grabbing my shoulders to steady me, and I turned my head to look over my shoulder to see who it was.

If I had thought Shiki had red hair, then this guy was a _flaming_ orange. His eyes... while I think were supposed to be brown, actually looked more of a burnt orange? How is that possible? Was he wearing contacts? Shiki had to have been too... why are there so many people with unnatural hair and eye colors? This is Japan, isn't it? Shouldn't most of them have black or brown hair!? Blue eyes in and of itself is rare! What is going on!?

"You..." The man looked shocked to see me, but I was more shocked to see just how tall he was; he had to be a solid six foot four. Jesus Christ... I watched as he looked at Souen. "Ruka," He said, confirming that Souen was her last name, "What is she doing here?"

The woman huffed and flickered her hair over her shoulder, placing a hand on her hip. "She was looking for her friend," She answered, frowning. "She was just leaving. Isn't that right, Terrier-San?"

"Wh-What? O-Oh, right! Yeah. I-I was. Um." I swallowed and pulled away, stammering over my words. "I-I was. Doing that. That's a thing. I was doing. Uh, b-bye-bye. Have a nice day!" I wasted no time in darting over to the door, exiting the building, and closed it behind me as I left. As I walked I could feel their gazes on me, something rather strange as they were all out of view and unable to be seen, and I scurried away from the Moon Dorms as fast as possible.

It was only when I was halfway back to the School Building that I bumped into the person I was looking for, Skylar tackling me and nearly knocking me over in the process. We made our way to the school, but instead of thinking of the best way to explain to the Headmaster all that had went wrong I found myself wondering if I had actually known Ichijou Takuma before, and if he had anything at all to do with the girl who attacked me.

It would explain why he had been waiting for me to wake up, as I doubted most would do that simply out of the kindness of their hearts, and if he really _had_ been trying to apologize for something was it for an event that happened before I lost my memories? Yet, if so, why did he pretend not to know who I was?

And the thought that I could have forgotten him, the very possibility in and of itself that I could have known him, nearly made me start crying right then and there in front of my friend as we approached the Headmaster's Office.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own any of the songs mentioned.


	14. A Stubborn Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Ichijou starts to break, Irene begins to recall things, and Zero's self-control starts to slip...

There weren't many words Shiki could think of to describe the exact expression his friend was wearing right now. Ichijou looked as though he were suffocating, the world breaking down around him as an invisible force wrapped around his chest and squeezed tightly, crushing him from the inside. Shiki tried to snap him out of his daze, placing his hands on Ichijou's shoulders and shaking him lightly.

"She... said that?" Ichijou breathed, choking on the words. The strangest look was on his face, but due to his inexperience in dealing with such delicate matters the redhead was unable to identify what it was. Specks of vermillion found their way into Ichijou's emerald as his breathing became even heavier.

Not knowing how to respond or react to the situation Shiki simply nodded, staring unblinkingly. The smile Ichijou had been wearing dropped completely the moment Shiki entered the kitchen, the redhead more than surprised to see his friend staring lifelessly at him. The blond had been hovering over the sink, bits of blood coating his finger from when he had earlier cut it on a broken shard of a tea cup. The cut was healed already, as to be expected, but it didn't mean the uncomfortable twist in Shiki's stomach went away just yet.

After blatantly asking what had happened after Ichijou had ran out of their dorm room when Irene entered the building, Shiki learned that he had gotten cornered by a certain purple-haired prefect and that she had pinned him against the wall, trying to get answers. Ichijou gave her the best answer he could, but told her nothing could be done about the situation. Irene had forgotten him and that was that. There was no recovering her memories.

Shiki then went on to explain what had happened with _him_ , as after Ichijou had left Shiki went to confront the Human girl. He told Ichijou what she had said to him, about how she was grateful to Ichijou and that she didn't blame him for anything. That she was, in fact, actually glad to have met him.

The model may not understand social interaction that well, or even how people work, but he did know that Ichijou really cared about the Human girl. In fact, he might even dare say the Human girl cared about Ichijou a lot as well. He never spoke to her much, only that one day out in town, but Ichijou was always spending time with and _always_ mentioned her. It got on Shiki's nerves a little. But if being separated from the Human caused his friend this much pain, if having been the one to erase the memories of himself from her mind had been that agonizing... Shiki felt compelled to help.

He hated it when Ichijou was hurting. Now, if Ichijou would just stop fighting his hunger all the time... and let Shiki help him. The model said nothing, merely nodding at Ichijou's question, and watched in silence as the blond brought a hand up to his face. His bangs feel messily into his eyes, a grin so bitter sweet spreading across his face it brought a strange ache to Shiki's chest. The redhead wondered if this was what worry was... and if it was a good thing he made himself someone who refused to bring worry to others.

"Of course she did," Ichijou muttered, grinning morosely. "She refuses to blame anyone for anything... She couldn't even get mad at Aidou when he attacked her, so why would she find any reason to hate me? Memory or no memory, Irene-Chan truly is a kind girl..."

"Ichijou-San..."

Ichijou shook his head, taking a deep breath as he gave Shiki a closed-eye grin. "It's quite alright, Shiki, thank you. I... needed to hear that. I'm going to go check on Kaname now, so please... get some sleep. I know you still haven't recovered from yesterday's photoshoot." The blond didn't hesitate in reached a hand out to comfort his emotionless friend, ruffling his hair with gentle eyes and a warm smile. Shiki knew Ichijou was trying to hide again, to refrain from speaking about the topic anymore. As Ichijou pulled his hand away and moved a foot back to leave, Shiki reached out and snatched his wrist.

The blond blinked, startled.

"Shiki?"

"Why... do you keep on running?" He asked, lips tilting downwards into a deep frown as he raised his head up. His stone blue eyes shone with a hint of something odd; for while Ichijou had known Shiki since they became roommates and first entered Cross Academy, he had never seen the male model ever reflect any kind of emotion aside from apathy in his blue orbs. Expression aside, it almost felt like the person he was looking at now _wasn't_ Shiki. Ichijou's surprise only expanded when he felt Shiki reach out with his other hand, clinging tightly onto Ichijou's single one with both of his. "Why do you avoid her so much? You like Terrier-San... don't you?"

Ichijou stared at him for a long moment, uncertain of what was bringing about the change in his friend. Was Shiki really that mad at him? The blond closed his eyes and sighed, the smile remaining on his face regardless the situation at hand. "...I've already told you, Shiki; it doesn't matter. Irene-Chan is better off without me."

The grip on his hand tightened and Ichijou's eyes opened, widening in surprise when Shiki raised his voice. "But she's not! I can... tell... that you're both hurting... Ichijou-San." Shiki was holding Ichijou's hand so tightly he was shaking, eyebrows furrowing at the strange feelings welling up inside of him. He was supposed to be an emotionless doll; one who didn't act out of turn, one who never brought attention to himself. So why... does seeing Ichijou like this... make him feel so sick to the stomach? Why does it make him want to speak up? "If you... really care about Terrier-San... then you should speak to her. At least once..." His eyes narrowed, the deep frown adorning his face as displeasure took over his features. "At least once speak to her."

The emotions aren't supposed to take over. The feelings he's buried aren't supposed to overwhelm him like this. But he _wasn't_ going to let Ichijou keep hurting himself like this... The cheerful, warm smile that greeted him everyday was gone. It was missing it's luster, it's brightness and warmth. Now, the smile just felt empty and cold...

"Please, Ichijou-San," Shiki pleaded, blue eyes staring deep into green. "You're hurting... both of you are. Why... can't you see that?"

The smile was still on his face, but his eyes looked completely shattered. "Because," Ichijou choked, finally speaking up after Shiki finished delivering his speech. "I've done... I've done a v-very horrible thing to her, Shiki." Ichijou pulled his hand away, instead reaching forward and pulling the redhead in for a very tight embrace. His fingers dug into Shiki's back, pulling at the fabric of his lazy yellow shirt, and he leaned down, burying his face into the curve of the male's neck as his shoulders shook. "N-No matter... what I say... she won't have any recollection of who I am. A-And knowing... that _I_ was the one who did that to her, I... I can face her, Shiki. I-I can't."

Ichijou's eyes burned, warmth from the tears spreading across his face. He squeezed them tightly shut, breathing becoming more labored as his throat started to dry up again. He coughed, wheezing, and found his mouth parting slightly as he listened to the beating of the blood vessels within Shiki's neck. Breathing hurt, and his stomach felt as though it was trying to tear itself apart from the inside. He opened his eyes, staring at the veins pulsating at him, and he pulled away slightly as red started to coat his vision.

"I-I'm so thirsty..." He whimpered, voice becoming small. He was _craving_ blood at this point-the blood tablets just weren't enough anymore. He needed the actual _thick_ substance. Oh god, it hurt... Ichijou was starving like crazy and the sound of the blood racing through the veins of an actual living person made it even more difficult to hold back.

Shiki didn't say anything, but did tilt his head back to give Ichijou more access. He brought his hands up, wrapping his arms around the blond's back. He could feel the tongue rub against his skin, tracing the vein he was going to bite. But, even though Shiki had already given him all he needed to let him know it was okay, Ichijou was still resisting. He was breathing heavily, hesitating even now, and it wasn't until Shiki wrapped his fingers around the back of Ichijou's neck to encourage him that the blond shifted and leaned down, piercing his fangs into the model's neck.

The thick liquid gushed into his mouth, strong and sweet, and Ichijou swallowed each drop as greedily as he could. He didn't know _why_ he was so hungry, but as he drank he could see into Shiki's thoughts and piece together the puzzle he wasn't quite getting. He held Shiki closer, pressing the smaller male closer to him as he dug his fangs deeper into his flesh.

Ichijou _wanted_ blood; _needed_ blood... but just not anyone's blood. And, as he continued to drink from his dear friend, he found this becoming very clear. Shiki's hold on Ichijou loosened, the male losing strength, and before long Ichijou retracted his fangs from his neck and caught the male before he could completely collapse. He lowered his face to the side he had not bitten, lips curling back as he fought against a sob.

"I-I'm so sorry, Shiki..." Even after all that, he still didn't feel full. Shiki's blood only helped the slightest bit in quenching the beast's hunger inside of him. He squeezed his eyes tightly shut, trembling as he clung onto his friend. He brought his other hand up, gently placing it on the back of Shiki's head. "I won't... ask this of you ever again."

Blood was completely covering them both; in fact, Ichijou feared that most of the blood ended up on _them_ rather than in his stomach. It was expected he'd be out of practice, having not drank from another Vampire since his childhood, but to this extent...?

"...It's alright." Shiki had reached a hand up, giving the stunned Ichijou a light pat on the head. "If Ichijou-San needs my blood as a substitute... he can take it." He wasn't going to let his friend suffer like this anymore.

Ichijou stared at him, shocked, and a new wave of tears threatened to fall. Shiki's expression wasn't completely blank, but it certainly didn't show all that he was feeling either. Still, Ichijou couldn't help but be touched by how much the model was willing to care for him. The moment was broken by Shiki letting out a loud yawn, pulling his hand and allowing himself to relax in Ichijou's hold.

"It may not fill you... but it can help you, even if only a little..." His eyes closed, the male worn from not only having so much blood drained from him, but from overworking during the day so much. "I want... Ichijou-San... to smile from the heart again."

"Sh-Shiki..."

Shiki let out a small hum, opening his eyes, only to grunt in displeasure when Ichijou lifted him up into a spine-crushing hug, the blond wailing about how he didn't deserve such a kind-hearted friend.

...

"I can't believe you fought with Ruka-San," Skylar snorted as we made our way to the gates. She had asked me to accompany her today, for reasons I could not fathom, and as we walked I tried to ignore all the fangirls who were glaring at us. The Headmaster had been stern, but when I explained I was searching for Skylar because I was scared she had fallen asleep on the job his face softened and he called the teacher to give him an excuse without hesitation.

I left out the parts involving me entering the Moon Dorms, as I wasn't really too keen on getting into trouble, but I didn't lie to him about anything. Classes had went by without a hitch, though I ended up failing to take notes due to my mind being consumed with thoughts of what Shiki and Souen had said.

Shiki had mentioned something about tutoring and... they both seemed to think I knew Taku-no, Ichijou from somewhere. I was convinced I hadn't met him until that day I woke up, but... it just didn't make sense. Why was he waiting for me to wake up? What was he apologizing for? Was he even apologizing for anything? Why did Souen seem to think we had some sort of relationship?

 _Oh hell no._ There was no way that happened; I absolutely refused to date anyone in High School because those relationships almost always don't last. I highly doubt that within the course of a single _month_ I had managed to get a massive crush on some guy and actually agreed to date him. I have high standards! I didn't want to end up heartbroken; if I wasn't convinced the relationship would last then there was no possible way I would go for it. _She said I was persistent... even after "that" happened. What was "that"?_

As Skylar and I neared the gates I went through all the possibilities, even going through my "first" meeting with Ichijou for any signs. He had acted really strange... Didn't he say something about how I was "nice" to a "terrible person" like him and that because of it I ended up hurt? I didn't know I was amnesiac at the time, nor did I think I knew him, so I was just under the impression he was kind of odd. But, if I _did_ know him before, it would explain some of my reactions back then and why I was so worried.

I paid little attention to my throbbing head as I watched Skylar glare and push girls back from my spot on the sidelines, mind completely overwhelmed by speculations and hypotheses. The more I questioned the more I found myself believing that I _did_ know Ichijou, thinking about the conversation I had with him and how familiar his actions had seemed.

But maybe I was just tricking myself into thinking they were? Dealing with so many people and trying to make sense of all their words, I just really wanted clarification on everything. I wanted a logical explanation, but I doubted I'd be getting one from anybody. _Unless..._ Oh god. My stomach twisted uncomfortably, bile trying to bubble its way up my throat as I thought about the person who had been trying his darnest to get me to talk to Ichijou. I felt sick. My memory was fuzzy, my mind blank, and my skull felt like it was splitting apart as I tried make sense of all this.

The fans' screams rang in my ears, a siren of sorts seeming to go off, and I could just barely make out the creaking of doors as I lifted my chin and looked at the Night Class walking out of the gates. The cheers grew louder, more uncontrollable, and I felt faint as the people in white uniforms walked out ever so elegantly.

My attention was drawn almost instinctively to the two males at the very front, they probably being the most elegant and refined of the bunch. They were both tall, but their demeanors were completely different. One had dark hair and garnet eyes, his expression calm and serious, and smiled at no one except Yuuki as he walked by. His gaze softened upon the sight of her, yett nobody in the Day Class aside from me, Skylar, and Zero seemed to have noticed. The man next to him...

_"You!"_

Pressure built on both sides of my skull, the briefest recognition of pointing and waving at someone flowing through my mind, accompanied with the horrendous feeling of shame and embarrassment. I could recall Skylar yelling at me to hurry and do something, shoving me in the process, and I remember stumbling over to someone...

_"Ah, there you are! A-Are you alright...?"_

Ichijou Takuma's smile was bright and beaming, eyes sparkling kindly as he waved to all the fans and bid them "good morning". Those emerald orbs scanned the crowd, not resting until he found what he was searching for, and he stopped walking completely when they landed on me. His wide eyes locked on mine and it was like the world went still, my heart thudding loudly in my chest as I slowly raised a hand and waved, my movements completely stiff. I wasn't breathing.

_"Huh? O-Oh, uh, y-yeah. I-I'm-I'm fine..."_

Black dots danced in my vision and I had to pull my gaze away, air greedily returning to my lungs as I gasped and coughed. Skylar gave the fangirls one more firm shove before looking at me in concern, asking me if I was alright before telling me that I wasn't allowed to die. I tried to laugh, but it hurt and I only became more dizzy.

_"You_ _do_ _speak Japanese! That's a relief. I'm afraid my English isn't very good; I've only had a couple lessons. Um, how are you feeling?"_

I looked and saw that the blond man was still staring at me, a strange look in his eyes, and I knew that if I remained here any longer I was going to pass out. "I-I'm going to the dorms," I choked to Skylar, my eyes burning, and I wasted no time in stumbling away. My chest was so tight it felt like something was crushing it, my lungs constricting inside my chest as my heart pounded loudly inside my head.

My stomach churned grossly, legs threatening to give out on me as the pounding in my skull grew more and more intense. I refused to stop, however, determined to make it back to the dorm.

...

"You shouldn't be skipping your duties, Kiryuu-Kun," Kaien said softly, opening the door to the infirmary. "Getting a call from the teacher because you suddenly weren't feeling well..." He looked at the young teen curled underneath the sheets on one of the infirmary beds, a hand to his throat as he gasped and wheezed. His lilac eyes were tinted with a light pink sheen, threatening to glow a brilliant red. Kaien sighed sadly, walking over to one of the cabinets and pulling out a small paper cup. He calmly headed over to a sink, filling it with water.

Meanwhile Zero coughed, gasping painfully as he stretched out on the bed and hissed. Tears burned his eyes, but he refused to cry or give in to the desire for blood. He could hear the Headmaster's blood vessels pulsing; he could _smell_ the warm liquid from inside his body. His throat felt so parched, it was as if he hadn't drank anything in years. His back arched and he cried out, it taking every ounce of his willpower not to scream in agony.

 _It hurts-!_ Oh god, it was excruciating. Zero felt like he was dying a slow, torturous death. Though, considering the circumstances, he might as well be. He had been bitten by a Pureblood and, as such, was eventually going to go mad from bloodlust until he was hunted down and murdered. _Damn it..._

The sound of blood rushing was too much to bear and before he knew it he had snatched Kaien's wrist as the adult had reached over to hand him the glass of water, the clear liquid slowly turning a dark red due to the blood tablet he had dropped inside of it. Kaien watched with sad eyes, not pulling away, but simply allowing Zero to lower his face to his hand. The silver-haired male breathed heavily, coughing and gasping, and went so far as to lick the palm of Kaien's hand before he realized what he was doing and pulled away, digging his fingers into the sheets of the bed and burying his face in the pillow.

"Your intervals are getting much shorter, Kiryuu-Kun..." Kaien told him, "You can't keep running away like this. You understand, don't you?" Zero's whole body convulsed, before falling onto his side and grounding his teeth together tightly as he pulled at his uniform shirt, having ripped off the blazer and vest earlier on his way to the infirmary. He was burning- his whole body was on fire, crying out and screaming for the taste of blood. He didn't understand how he could be so _thirsty_. "No... you _do_ understand, don't you?"

A single, blazing red gazed up at Kaien as he fought, Zero refusing to give in but finding it difficult to maintain control.

 _Kill me..._ He wanted to die. He really, truly wanted to die. He didn't know how much more of this he could take. His parents, his brother... even if it meant going to hell, if he could see them for even a mere _second_ -A particularly violent cough escaped him, sweat coating his whole person by this point, and he collapsed numbly against the bed as the fit passed.

He breathed heavily, eyes closed, and for once he didn't fight as Kaien placed a hand on his forehead, brushing his bangs out of his face and petting his head in a fatherly fashion. _Ichiru..._ If Zero had been stronger... if he had reacted or even told his parents about the woman before running outside to confront her, his twin brother might still be alive. _I'm so sorry..._

"I'll leave the drink for you here," Kaien said softly, frowning. Zero didn't respond, the teen completely exhausted. "I need to head back to the Main Office, but... don't hesitate to ask for anything. I know you don't respect me or view me as a father-figure, but... you will always be my cute son, Kiryuu-Kun. Don't forget that."

"I don't..." He breathed, opening his eyes and trying to glare at him, "I don't need your pity... Don't say... such disgusting words to me."

Kaien simply closed his eyes and smiled, chuckling lightly. "You really do hate me, don't you? Even when I'm just trying to help... but I guess it can't be helped. Kiryuu-Kun, whether you like it or not, we're family. And that means I'm going to try and help you whenever I can. Yuuki, too. You should tell her soon, before you completely lose control..."

"That won't happen!" He bit out, squeezing his eyes shut. His jaw was clenched tight, fingers digging and pulling at the mattress and it's sheets. "It won't..." His voice cracked. Kaien outstretched a hand to comfort him, but Zero pulled away with a hiss. "Don't touch me!"

"Then at least drink," Kaien begged, picking the plastic cup back up and holding it out to him. "It'll ease the pain." Zero stared at it for a moment, breathing heavily as he struggled to sit up, but after recalling all the times the tablet failed to go down his throat and work he threw his arm out to the side, smacking the cup right out of Kaien's hands and sending the red liquid flying everywhere. Kaien sighed in disappointment and stood. "If that's what you wish... but please, make up your mind soon? Yuuki will be distraught if she finds out because of you doing something horrible."

Zero just glared at him, sitting up the rest of the way and turning, swinging his legs to reside over the edge of the bed. He stood, picking the pieces of his uniform off the ground, and growled, "It won't happen," one more time before exiting the room and leaving the Headmaster there alone.

...

By some miracle I actually did manage to make it back to the dorms, but it wasn't without falling over multiple times. Everything was blurring and fading; I almost succumbed to the darkness when the pain nearly became too much. I slammed into the bedroom door, breathing heavily, and struggled to open it as my skull tried to break itself open from the inside. I stumbled, legs finally giving out as I entered the room, and I hit the floor with a loud thud.

I didn't move. I remained lying on the ground until the majority of the pain in my head went away, wheezing when I moved to push myself back up. I waved my hand absentmindedly, weakly trying to close the door, before moving and leaning against it tiredly once I had managed to complete that task. I struggled to calm down, my heart racing frantically as I tried to make sense of what had happened.

I... saw something. Was that a memory? The scene itself was fuzzy, but I could make out the conversation clearly. That person I was talking to... oh god, who was it? The voice was exceedingly familiar; going through all the males I've spoken to here in Japan so far, it definitely wasn't Shiki, Zero, that one super tall ginger, nor the Headmaster. So, going through the process of elimination, the only person it _could_ be that I can think of would have to be Ichijou. The memory stirred up because I saw him walking with the rest of the Night Class, right? So... So it _had_ to be him.

Did... Did that mean we really were friends before?

A wave of despair washed over me, self-loathing growing like a parasite as I realized my worst fear has probably come true. Forgetting what's important... forgetting _who's_ important. It didn't take long for me to start crying, curling into a ball and pulling at my hair as I cursed myself violently inside my head. _How could you let yourself forget him? Did you really not care? Disgusting..._ No. No! It's not my fault I forgot; I didn't ask for amnesia! Shut up, shut up, shut up! _You're such a jerk..._ I am not! I-If... If we were really friends, why did he pretend not to know me?

Friends wouldn't avoid each other. But...

He was apologizing for something... the Headmaster even clarified that. Did... that mean we got into a fight or something before I lost my memories? But... why would we get into a fight? I go out of my way to _avoid_ conflict. I-I don't... I just don't know.

Strength finally returning to my legs I pushed myself, clamping a hand over my mouth as I felt the bile threaten to spill. I made my way over to the small trashcan Skylar and I had between our beds, and promptly went on to empty out the contents of my stomach. That lunch I had today was probably the only real thing I've eaten since I left the Headmaster's, having skipped so many meals whether by purpose or accidental, and so by the time I was done my stomach felt emptier than ever before. _I-I'm just... gonna sit... for a bit._ I breathed shakily, my whole body trembling, and I fell onto my knees with a grunt.

It's official; I _hated_ amnesia. The anime, I'm totally okay with, the game I'm pretty "Meh". But the condition? Nope. No. Not doing it. I knew coming to Japan was a bad idea.

I felt completely dazed as I waited once more until I was calm, not wanting to throw up anymore. I was sweating, but it didn't bother me as much as my massive migraine did. The only bright side of all this was that, hey, guess what? I remembered something. Small as it may... be...

My gaze drifted to the mess that was my side of the room, drawings of all sorts scattered instead of in the usual organized piles I always had them in. Let's not even mentioned the stack of notebooks-good god, it was disturbing at how much paper I can go through within a few days. Skylar's side was mostly clean, maybe a shirt here or there, but mine... good lord, I really did just stop caring, didn't I?

I mentally groaned as I reached over to pick up a drawing, staring lifelessly at it before sluggishly moving to start picking up all the scattered papers. I started to put them in their proper stacks- _Akatsuki no Yona_ here, _Blue Exorcist_ there, _Kingdom Hearts_ and _Gintama_ all the way over there... and then my _Undertale_ drawings. I even had a couple _Kuroshitsuji,_ better known as _Black Butler_ in America, and hidden in some of my notebooks was... _Shiki_?

I stared in confusion, having not recalled ever drawing those. It was certainly me who drew them; the sketchy art style told me everything, yet I couldn't recall ever getting passed the third episode. It was frightening and I had the feeling that my favorite character was going to die, so I had stopped. I've seen _Hakuouki Shinsengumi: Demon of the Fleeting Blossom_ and _Tokyo Ghoul_ ; I was _not_ ready to go through so many feels again.

Shiki was an anime involving Vampire-like creatures. The main character was a guy who had moved into this small, desolate town (note that he hated that place) and he had this pink-haired stalker who _really_ reminded me of Yuno Gasai from _Future Diaries._ The worst part was that I think his name was "Yuki" too.

But... I never finished watching it. So why did...? I'm so confused. I continued flipping through the notebook, hoping I wrote down some notes or something, when I got to a certain page and froze.

It was probably the crudest drawing I've ever seen. It appeared to be of an oni mask. It wasn't mine and it definitely wasn't Skylar's, our art styles were completely different-even if I switched depending on the fandom, I still had my own that I used occasionally-so I was more than at a loss. I ran my fingers lightly across the page, wondering why it looked so familiar.

It was only when a drop of water hit the paper that I realized I was crying.

The giant hole in my chest that I had been doing my best to ignore made itself known once again, informing me that I really _was_ missing something major. It was exceedingly odd, having only been here for a month, but I... I _knew_ I was lacking. Not just memories; I was lacking someone _very_ important to me.

If I concentrated on the drawing, I could almost feel someone's hands brushing against mine, soft and callous-free. Flipping through pages and a... a... smile? The tears came more uncontrollably now, not stopping as I choked and fought back a strangled sob. Wh-Who...? Was... Was he really that important a friend to me? I-I'm so picky, too... H-How? Wh-Why... Why does this _hurt_ so damn much?

If the person who drew this wasn't Ichijou then I haven't the slightest freaking clue who it could be, because all the signs are pointing towards him. The Headmaster, Shiki, Souen... they all seemed convinced I knew him. Which, if it were so, I _had_ to have spoken to him before. What Ichijou had said to me when I woke up...

I set the notebook on the ground, hands on either side of it as I leaned over, sitting on my legs as I looked at it helplessly. Who _was_ he to me? Wh-Why... does looking at this drawing make me feel so _sad_? He had to have had something to do with all the _Shiki_ drawings, too... that person I can barely make a face out of-it _had_ to be Ichijou. I don't... know who else it could possibly be otherwise. He looked so shocked to see me at the gates today, too... Maybe he knows what happened to me?

 _I-Is that why he apologized?_ Oh my god, was he blaming himself for what happened to me and that's why he pretended not to know me? Why he said that the reason I had amnesia now was because I had been "nice" to him? He made it sound like we had spoken with each other before.

I hiccuped painfully, choking on my tears, and I bit into my arm in an attempt to silence the cries. Staring at this drawing brought so many different emotions into me and I hadn't the slightest idea as to why; all I knew at the moment was that I wanted to curl up into a dark corner and die. Just... Just _thinking_ about Ichijou sent needles into every part of my brain, cracks threatening to align in my skull. I was trying to unlock doors that had been barred up, buried beneath codes and codes that not even the most expert of hackers could get through.

 _I... I want..._ I want to know. I want to _know_. But... I'm scared. What'll happen after I regain my memories? Will we return to being friends or... or whatever it was we were? I know... I'm missing a lot and... and I hate it. It's terrifying and scary and I-I hate myself for forgetting someone I was probably very close to, but I... I feel so empty. My head, my heart- something... _necessary_... is gone and missing from my life. It's right there on my fingertips, but I just can't stretch out any farther to grasp it. It keeps escaping from my hold... like a light out of reach.

I released my arms, wiping furiously at my face, and grumbled at myself. I gave a big sniffle, clearing my throat, and coughed into my shoulder. _I don't feel very well..._ Ugh... No. Okay. Think, Irene, think. What... What are we going to do about this? We know Ichijou had something to do with our missing memories-that much is clear. However, because he's in the Night Class we are unable to talk to him because of the time difference. I doubted there'd be any way to get through the horde of fangirls even _with_ Yuuki, Zero, and Skylar holding them back, and the Moon Dorm's Gatekeeper probably already realized that I wasn't actually allowed to enter that building.

There's... There's really no way I can talk to him, is there? I deflated at the disruption in my plans. Ichijou sleeps during the day while I sleep at night, so unless I suddenly gain the strength of a hundred men and push all those fangirls aside there's no _way_ I'm going to be able to talk to him.

 _This is so lame..._ I hung my head, complaining loudly to myself, before pushing myself up with a slight sway and promptly face-planting onto my bed, reaching out with my hand and fumbling to turn the alarm clock on without looking.

...

She was there... why was she there? Ichijou looked out the window with reddening eyes, trying to ignore the parchness of his throat as he leaned against the glass with crossed arms. Kaname was completely silent, flipping through the pages in the book he was reading, and cast only a short glance at Ichijou before returning to the story.

The rest of the class was silent, no one except the teacher speaking as he gave another lecture about the history of mankind and Vampires. Shiki was completely passed out, leaning his head against Rima's shoulder while the girl munched on some pocky, and Eliza was scribbling down some notes for an online class she was taking. Aidou kept peering over his shoulder to look at her, almost as if expecting her to start glaring at him.

 _She didn't look that well either..._ Ichijou frowned, knitting his eyebrows together. Irene wasn't coming down sick, was she? _No... I need to stop this._ Ichijou closed his eyes, fighting a sigh, and berated himself for still trying to concern himself in the affairs of a Human who doesn't even remember him. He needed to forget about her and carry on. Humans have short lifespans anyway, so...

He opened his eyes, staring into the darkness of the night with mournful eyes. What was he supposed to do now exactly? He had grown so used to visiting Irene in the early mornings, talking to her and spending time with her whenever he could. Their daily tutoring sessions became something he had looked forward to; she was a presence so unlike that of any other in the Night Class.

Irene was not only a refreshing breath of air, but a good friend, and Ichijou always found her presence rather nice to be around. She was shy, but outgoing, and while she was quite talkative and hyper when there was something she was passionate or genuinely happy about she was carefree and calming. She could be quiet one moment, then loud the next, but always got flustered so easily.

He smiled a little and chuckled to himself, drawing a curious glance from Kaname who was sitting down reading a book beside him at the window. Ichijou brought a hand up to his chin, keeping one arm crossed over his chest as he did so. _She always got scared so easily, too..._ She was so skittish; he found it utterly amusing at how easy it was to scare her. He took joy in it too, seeing her jump five feet in the air whenever he sneaked up behind her, and took a lot of amusement in teasing her whenever her face got red.

Always so clumsy and awkward... He found himself pressing a hand against the glass, turning so he was facing the outside completely. His chest tightened, a choked up feeling forming inside his throat, and he blinked. Not a day went by that Irene didn't get injured-whether it be by tripping, crashing into something, or cutting herself on paper. It was probably a good thing it was he who had been talking to her instead of someone else, for they probably would have lost control the first day.

It didn't help that every time Irene ended up bleeding she would almost always laugh like a maniac and hold the injury up for him to see, exclaiming about how ridiculous it was that she got hurt in such random ways that didn't make sense and to look at how bad or how little she was bleeding. It made him wonder... if she knew he was a Vampire would she still do such things? If he told her that any moment he could sink his fangs into that soft, frail neck... would she still try to be friends with him?

He smiled a little at the thought, knowing he would never get the chance to find out. Ichijou then swallowed, reaching into his pocket and pulling out his medicine case to take out a couple blood tablets. He'd be lying if he said he never thought about it; there were certain instances when she cut her hand or when they were particularly close that his eyes trailed to her easily accessible neck. Ichijou was telling the truth when he said he'd never drank from a Human, but sometimes even he was tempted.

Kaname paused in his reading, garnet eyes flickering to watch Ichijou as he popped a decent five blood tablets into his mouth. "...Hungry, Takuma?" He asked, eying him. Ichijou blinked in surprise and grinned sheepishly at the pureblood, resisting the urge to rub at his throat as his face threatened to twist into one of disgust at the pills' taste.

"I-I suppose you could say that," Ichijou laughed, expression gentle as he smiled. "It's nothing for you to worry about." At least, that's what he was hoping. He could feel so many eyes on him; all of them were probably wondering what was going to become of him-the Vice Dorm President. He knew most had thought his friendship with Irene was so that could he devour her blood, while others were convinced that it had simply been for a way to amuse himself, but... she truly was his friend.

And... as her friend he had to let her go. The deed was done and her memory was wiped. There was no more reason to cling onto her. _I really am incompetent, aren't I?_ He sighed, leaning his shoulder against the window as he crossed his arms once again. Kaname didn't speak to him after that, gaze focused on the book, but it was clear his mind was elsewhere. It was hard not to be mad at the Pureblood for what he did, as it was to protect the secret, but Ichijou _knew_ Irene wouldn't tell. She rendered herself oblivious to over half the signs that signified they were Vampires simply because she refused to make a big deal out of anything. Irene was... well, he supposed he could call her a blessing. Most Humans would fight and create a fuss, but... she just goes along with whatever is thrown at her.

And now, because of his actions, she had to go through Cross Academy without any idea who he, Shiki, and the rest of the Night Class were or even what went on during those many weeks they spent together.

Ichijou remembered what he had learned from when he had drank Shiki's blood; the model had long since pieced together what Ichijou had felt for the Human. And, according to him, the rest of the Night Class as well. He hadn't even considered it was a possibility until then.

He brought his fingers up to his lips, pressing gently against them as he recalled the taste of his friend's blood. If she truly was the reason for his increase in thirst, then that meant his relationship with her truly _had_ been a dangerous one. Kaname must have known this was going to happen and that was why he wanted him to stop interacting with her as soon as possible. Ichijou was just too blind to see it.

It shouldn't be all that shocking, considering he and Irene had spent nearly every day together for hours on end, morning and night, when he wasn't in Class nor by Kaname and checking up on him. He was just a bit startled that he didn't think too much on it before or even realized it himself.

Ichijou said it jokingly most of the time, but in moments like these he really _was_ a ditzy blond, wasn't he?   


	15. A Stubborn Knight P.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Fed up with how bad Ichijou is hurting, Shiki decides to take things into his own hands.

I have never been a fan of the morning; in fact, I could even say that I hated mornings. The brightness of the sun was painful to my eyes and heat threatened to sap away any and all energy I had left in my body. Whenever I woke up to bright lights I woke up instantly, unable to go back to sleep due to the blinding light that seeped in through my eyelids. I was always so tired during the day, but unable to fall asleep, and it took forever for me to pass-out at night.

Now, I could _pretend_ that I'm sleeping; I was often told that when I do so I looked like a corpse, unmoving and completely unbreathing. And _yet_ , even still, there were the very few rare instances where I _did_ pass out during the day. It was strange, but so long as I was cuddled up to someone or in a moving vehicle, I could fall asleep without hesitation, but by myself I'm left tossing and turning in my bed like crazy or just sitting there in silence with my cheek buried against the palm of my hand, waiting for the day to end.

I only started to hate mornings more since I got to the Sun Dorms; as each day it was girls squealing and crying about losing hair products or cosmetics, and every time I wandered down the hallway to go use the showers I got glares from every direction, people muttering stuff about me that I didn't understand.

I actually found myself tuning into some of their conversations, curious as to _why_ they all seemed to hate me so much, and this morning I came to the conclusion that it was because of one of the Night Class students. In particular, Ichijou Takuma-surprise, surprise.

From what I heard it seemed the Chairman had been telling the truth about when I fainted. Ichijou Takuma _was_ in fact the one that had carried me to the infirmary, and later the same one to carry me to the Headmaster's place. Strangely enough, I heard one of the girls mention something about how I used to approach Ichijou in front of the entire school, jabbering about some weird "cartoon characters" and whatnot, and that I had exchanged notebooks with him more than once.

 _That_ was what confused and made me wonder just how much I had trusted the blond man. I was reluctant to trust any of my drawings with my family, and barely let Eliza or Skylar guard them when I ran off, so why would I give one-no, _multiple_ of my notebooks to someone whom I had known for less than the course of a month? I was such a judgmental person; I was picky with whom I became friends with and with whom I gave my trust out to!

So... why?

I stopped walking, standing in the middle of the hallway dressed in nothing more than my uniform skirt, blouse, and leggings. I leaned my side against the wall, bringing a hand up to my throbbing skull as I tried to figure out the reason. I couldn't have grown _that_ attached to Ichijou Takuma... right? Even if I had gained some sort of crush on him, that didn't mean I would have let him grab at my notebooks. That was as though I was handing my very life over to him; I had been trusting him with the irreplaceable.

 _Oh god..._ I clamped a hand over my mouth when I felt my stomach churn again. I wasn't quite ready to throw up, especially when I _had_ nothing to throw up. I haven't eaten breakfast yet, as the entire hallway had been blocked by screaming fangirls. I didn't know why they were all so especially rowdy this morning, or why they were even blocking up the hallway, but I didn't bother to find out.

Seeing as the cafeteria entry way was blocked I quickly retreated and stumbled my way back to mine and Skylar's dormroom, the girl still having not returned yet from her prefect duties. I was beginning to wonder if this was just going to be a daily thing now, where I don't even get to speak to her in the mornings...

Always sleeping in class, always gone after, I probably have only five minutes a day to get a conversation in with her, and that's even if she's awake and if I'm able to accompany her to wherever it is she's going. Not to mention Eliza, whom I can't even see due to her being Night Class...

It's as though the Headmaster separated us purposefully, as if he had the intent to make me suffer. I'm not social like either of them; I didn't have the ability to make new friends so easily. A-And with how clearly everyone here seems to hate me... I might as well just leave Japan.

I stopped in my tracks, the hole in my chest growing and expanding by the second. I stared lifelessly at the ground in front of me, wondering if this was how my two years here at Cross Academy was going to be. I was almost seventeen, too, it being September this month, as was Skylar, so that meant I was going to be graduating soon...

Which in turn meant getting a job. Which in turn meant getting a career. Which in turn meant extreme responsibility. Because of all the art and writing I do Dad is expecting me to be some big-shot, not to mention my grandparents and some other relatives I don't even really speak to, but it becomes increasingly difficult to do any of that when people try to pressure you. You know you're running out of time, and you're scared, and so you panic and try to do something about it but it always comes out as a failure. It's a pathetic and weak excuse, but it's true, and now...

I don't even know what I'm going to be doing with my life. I gave a heavy sigh, questioning what my existence even meant. I've told myself time and time again I didn't belong at Cross Academy; I have no _reason_ to be here. With Fujita Sakura gone and suspended, probably even moving to a different school, that meant there were an odd number of Day Class students. That of course would lead up to the Headmaster pairing up her old roommate with Skylar, as they were the ones who actually belonged there, and I would get sent back to America without any fuss.

...Maybe I should make things easier and ask to head back early? Even if I want to remember, who's to say that Ichijou doesn't want me to remain forgetting?

My feet started to move again and I headed up the stairs, entering my bedroom, and closed the door behind me. I pulled my glasses off and plopped down on my bed, dropping the spectacles lazily on the mattress as I curled into a ball and buried my face into my pillow. I could feel my eyes burning, wanting to know what there possibly was I could do about this situation. I couldn't find Ichijou and talk to him about all this; it was daytime and he was most likely sleeping now. And, if he didn't _want_ me to remember whatever kind of friendship we had, then I would just be making things worse, wouldn't I?

I'm just being stubborn... If he doesn't want me to remember, I shouldn't remember. But I feel so awful for forgetting, too...

I rolled onto my back, staring blankly up at the ceiling. Is there really even any reason for me to try anymore? Remembering keeps making me sick, and Ichijou seemed to not want to talk to me at all that day we met nor when I encountered him yesterday during the class change, so should I even bother keep trying?

A lump formed in my throat and my eyes started to burn furiously. I bit down on my trembling bottom lip, tiredly reaching a hand out as if to grasp onto something that wasn't there. _Ichijou Takuma... just who were you to me?_ What kind of person is he? _Why... did I trust you so much?_ It felt like someone was crushing my heart with their bare hands, suffocating me and trying to tear my chest into shreds. _I want... to speak with you._

I brought my hand down, blinking my stinging eyes, and stared at the palm of my hand as I tried to recall a warmth that came from another person. It was faint, but in the recesses of my mind I could make out soft laughter and a beautiful grin. I curled my fingers, closing my eyes, and rolled back onto my side.

_E-Even... if it's just for you tell me to stop trying to remember you, I just... I just want to_ _know_ _._

I choked against the sob that was trying to escape, refusing to cry so early in the morning as I knew I would only regret it later. My head pounded furiously, like someone was slamming my skull repeatedly against bricks, but I fought.

Even... Even if he _didn't_ want me to remember I was going to. Because... Because those were my precious memories. Memories that belonged to me, memories of a time I had shared with someone I clearly deemed as important. I _refuse_ to forget. I dug my fingers into the mattress' sheets, coming to terms with my resolution, and sat up. My hair was a total mess, having not bothered to do anything besides run a brush through it quickly, and my eyes were slightly swollen and puffy from crying, but you know what? That's okay.

B-Because... I was going to remember. And even if they're painful memories I'll... I'll be okay with that. For, in the end, isn't it the happy memories one should always treasure? So what if you have bad memories? They're part of what makes you... you. And so, even if there are bad ones, I'll do my best to recall them all. I'm tired of living like this; it's only been a week since the Headmaster had diagnosed me with amnesia, but I was already thinking of throwing myself out of the window and ending this life. I was _sick_ of these dark thoughts and constant ideas of ways to harm myself; of not actually doing anything to help myself get better.

I want to _remember_ Ichijou Takuma. E-Even if it hurts...

Filled with determination and inspiration I pushed myself up, rubbing at my face, and put my glasses back on. My eyes were definitely swollen and puffy from when I had cried last night, not to mention the multiple times I nearly cried this morning, but that's okay. Everything is okay. I am _fine_. Even my messy mop of chocolate hair is fine, because you know what? I think it is. So what if I'm a little depressed from everything's that's happened? I'll get through it. I always do.

There's absolutely no reason why I should let this keep me down any longer. I'm a "Taylor" and that means I'm a stubborn small child, and that means I can get through anything that gets thrown my way! I've managed to fight my way through a heck ton of things before, so why shouldn't I get through this?

I pulled myself off the bed and dragged myself over to my dresser, ignoring how the fangirls screams seemed to be getting louder and closer than before, and pulled on my uniform blazer. I was halfway done with buttoning when I heard the knock. I paused, confused, and looked at the door in confusion. When the knock happened again I became even _more_ lost, as there was absolutely no reason why anyone should be visiting.

If it was Skylar she either would have climbed in through the window or barged right in. Yuuki would have knocked once and then opened the door. Zero would be trying to break it down (he appeared only once to get Skylar when the Headmaster had called for her) and... well, I don't know anyone else who would come here. Unless Skylar made a new friend without telling me...

 _Well, even if she did, there's no reason for me to get upset about it._ I should be happy for her. She's getting on so much better here in Japan than I am, so... even if she forgets me, as long as she's happy I...

I blinked, realizing how dark my thoughts truly have become in my loneliness. I tried for a laugh, grinning at my ludicrousy, and shook my head as I headed towards the door. I was fine. I truly, really am fine. Besides, who even knows how Eliza is doing? She's such an outgoing person she probably made friends with over half the Night Class already. No need for someone as annoying as me...

 _Okay, seriously, Irene. Stop it. You are not okay._ Maybe not. But I... like to pretend that I am. Even when it feels like my heart is being torn to shreds, as long as everyone else is happy... there's no reason why I should go and bring them down. Their joy is what matters, after all. Who cares if I get hurt? I certainly don't. I'm selfish, but I won't let myself be so selfish that it destroys another person's future.

As I neared the door the screams got louder and louder, and it was then that I could actually hear voices on the other side of the door. They all blended in and overlapped with each other, so it made it hard to decipher what anyone was saying, but I knew that it was probably over half of the girls' Day Dorm. Knitting my eyebrows in confusion I allowed my smile to drop, reaching forward and hesitating before turning the doorknob and opening it.

For what reason would they all be- _Oh..._

No words could be used to describe the shock I felt in that moment. I stared up with wide eyes at the boy in front of me, his apathetic blue eyes boring into mine without a single hint of emotion on his face. A single pocky stick dangled out of his mouth, the strawberry treat quickly being devoured as he bit down and pulled the piece that tried to fall into his mouth with his tongue. His maroon hair looked even messier compared to when I last saw him, as if the male had just gotten himself pulled out of bed-which, considering his classes had ended three hours ago, he probably did.

"Sh-Shiki-San?" I choked, alarmed at the sight in front of me. "Wh-What are... Wh-What are you doing here?" He wasn't even dressed in his uniform; Shiki was donning a single, oversized gray jacket with a pair of baggy blue jeans, his hands resting lazily in his pockets as he gazed down sleepily at me.

"...You've missed tutoring again." Was his simple statement. I blinked dumbly, not understanding. Shiki gave a small yawn, breaking the silence as I did my best to ignore the glares being sent at me from behind the redhead. Multiple curses were flying my way, while the rest of the females simply revelled at being so close to their "Upperclassman Shiki". Actually, thinking about it, weren't half the people on this floor older than Shiki?

An intense spike of pain suddenly streaked across my skull, needles piercing from every angle into my brain as I thought about how I had known Shiki was younger than me. What... part of me... made me believe he was a first year?

I wasn't able to stop the expression of pain that crossed my face, and I brought my hands up to my head as I swayed. I was breathing heavily as I leaned against the doorframe, wheezing as the tears burned my eyes. "Y-You..." I managed to open one eye, looking at him through blurry vision. He looked mildly surprised, eyebrows raising just the slightest. "How... How do I... know..." Shiki. There was... he was... oh god, I don't feel so good.

Bile rose up in the back of my throat and I wasted no time in clamping a hand over my mouth and trying to close the door in his face so he, nor his fans, would have to see me power walk over to the trashcan in the middle of the room as I vomited again. My body convulsed and my head reeled back and before I knew it what little stomach acids I had left emptied, and even after they were all gone I continued to gag, nothing but air and spit coming out as I gasped and choked.

_"Shiki's younger than us?"_

I could hear the girls screeching, all panicking about vomit and others declaring about how rude it was for me to puke directly after looking at Shiki's face. I couldn't focus on them however, too engulfed in the fuzzy scene that was flashing through my mind at that moment.

We were... in a store? Something of the sort, and there was Skylar and Shiki... a-and... someone else, too... Who? O-Oh god...

_"How old are you? Sixteen, fifteen?"_

What did Skylar call Shiki? Our "Underclassman"?

_"...Sixteen..."_

I struggled against the next wave, clinging so tightly to the edges of the trashcan that my knuckles were white. Tears burned the corners of my eyes furiously and, for a moment, the pain was so great I honestly thought I was going to die. I had felt pain like this before, back before I started taking all the medicine the Doctor had prescribed to me due to my breathing problems. But this... O-Oh god, this felt almost worse.

My lungs felt like they were going to collapse, to explode and burst out of my chest. The pain that was normally dormant made it feel as if it were being torn apart from the inside, and the intense, fiery burn filled my chest like lava. It was the kind of pain that wouldn't go away, at least not for a while, and never more in that moment had I wanted to curl up to a person and cling onto them with all my might and just cry. To let it all out as my brain threatened to rip into a million pieces. But I couldn't. Not here, not now. I-I needed... I needed to remember. Wh-Who... Who was Shiki? Who was Ichijou? _Who are all these people I'm forgetting?_

Once I was certain I was done throwing up my insides I brought a hand tiredly to my mouth, wiping away the spit and acids, and stood. My legs wobbled, but I ignored the stares and dragged myself sluggishly to the small restroom we had in order to wash my hands and brush my teeth.

 _So gross..._ I peered out into the bedroom to glance tiredly at the clock, seeing I had a good half hour left, and stared in confusion when I saw that Shiki and his fangirls were all huddled in the room. _Dude, seriously?_ I brought the back of my watery hand up to my face, rubbing at my eyes again, and tried to ignore the pounding headache I had and the burning in my chest. I was so done with today and it hadn't even really started yet. _I hate my life... someone, please, just kill me now. I don't want to do this anymore._

I held back a groan and turned off the faucet, drying my hands and face, and opened the medicine cabinet to pull out one of my many inhalers. I had taken all my medicine for this morning, but seeing as _that_ just happened and my breathing was still quite... difficult... I thought it would be best to use my rescue inhaler. I shook the container and brought it up to my mouth, struggling to hold my breath as I inhaled the medicine, and almost ended up in a fit of coughs afterwards. I repeated the process one more time, putting the inhaler back in the cabinet, and let out my breath after a few seconds. I made a mental note to use my nebulizer again later.

My chest was lifting and falling heavily, but I didn't think much of it. I was far too used to it. I closed my eyes for a moment, trying to calm myself and my nerves, and after a bit I picked up the courage to walk out of the bathroom and enter the bedroom where everyone was standing.

Shiki was staring at me intently, his blue eyes piercing, but didn't say a word as I swallowed down the lump in my throat. I at least had confirmation now; Shiki _did_ know me, and I him, but... why did Souen and Ichijou seem so intent on keeping me in the dark? Why was... Shiki trying to help me? Was he even trying to help me? Maybe I'm reading this all wrong...

"What... do you want?" I breathed, shaking a little from my recent fit. "Why... are you here?"

He opened his mouth to say something, but then closed it as his gaze turned to all the girls peering into the room that had not dared to enter. He sighed, the slightest bit of annoyance crossing his face. Next thing I knew his hand was latched tightly around my wrist, the male walking right up to the fangirls and demanding with one simple word, "Move."

They froze, silencing their squeals immediately. He repeated himself and they did as told, not hesitating once, and I found myself being dragged along as I lacked the strength and the will to fight. We ended up exiting the Day Dorms, Shiki not stopping until we were halfway to the campus gates. I was breathing heavily by this point, exhausted. I wheezed, a hand on one thigh, with the other still held hostage by him as he refused to release my wrist. I looked at Shiki, tiredly wondering what on earth was even going on in his brain.

"Wh-Why... Why did you bring me all the way out here?" Did he not want to speak around all the fangirls? I supposed that made sense, but still... a little warning would have been nice. "What do you even want?" How do I... know him exactly? My brain hurt as it tried desperately to recall any information I could have possibly known about Shiki, but my lack of oxygen didn't help much in trying to keep my thought process straight. "Do I... " I winced, bringing a hand up to my head. "Do I know you?"

He stared at me, expression unreadable. He released my wrist, turning to face me completely. "...How much do you remember?" My eyes widened in surprise, but I found myself unable to be completely stunned. If I _did_ know Shiki, it would be obvious if I didn't remember him, right? Of course he would know. Which meant I might even known Souen as well...

"I...I think... I think I know you?" It came out as a question, my skull feeling as though it was breaking apart. "A-And..." I felt dizzy, lightheaded. It took all I had to remain standing. "I-Ichijou... Ichijou-San is..." No. _What_ is he? Shiki's eyes sharpened when I mentioned the blond and I wondered if they were close. "I... I think Ichijou-San and I... were... were friends?" Is that what we were? Warmth... I can recall warmth. And smiles. Warm arms always wrapping around me and a smile bright like the sun. "Ichi... Ichijou-San..." He was... always there. He was the one I always spoke to, wasn't he? I looked at Shiki, staring at him with a strange expression as dark spots danced in my vision. "Ichijou- _Kun_ was someone I trusted... right?"

The redhead didn't give me a verbal answer, merely nodding his head in response to my words. My shoulders relaxed and the excruciating throbbing inside my head dimmed down, part of me finding peace with the fact that I had confirmation on something. I forced myself to try and calm, to level my breathing, and did my best to remain silent so not to aggravate my struggling lungs any further.

Sadly, I was always a talker, and so I found myself exhaling a quiet, "I-I see..." in response to his actions. The silence that came after was rather suffocating, the heavy atmosphere so awkward and uncomfortable that if anybody walked by they would know right away that neither of us wanted to be there. I was actually able to breathe normally after a few more minutes of silence, but once my brain started to work properly again I came to the complicated thought of _why is Shiki here?_ What did he bring me out here for?

Suddenly he spoke, startling me and confusing me with his words. "I... don't agree with what Ichijou-San is doing," He finally said, turning his head away and looking in the direction of the Moon Dorms. His gaze became distant, not really focusing on anything. He didn't give any details on what it was Ichijou was doing that he disagreed with, but I found myself stiffening when his gaze trailed back to me.

I froze when he suddenly started to walk towards me, my breathing catching in my throat in fear. I was intimidated, most definitely so, but I refused to move. Shiki had answers... answers I was desperately searching for. If I was ever going to have those answers... I can't run away. Even if a part of me wants to.

Shiki stopped directly in front of me, his stone blue eyes boring into mine. For a moment, just the briefest flash of a second, I thought I saw someone else in his place. Taller. Blonder. And blindingly bright...

I met his gaze without hesitation. Something flashed in his eyes-respect, maybe? I wasn't entirely sure. I didn't care to find out either. I could hear the class bell ring in the distance, signaling we had been out here for over half an hour just talking.

"I don't know... why Ichijou-San cares so much about you," Shiki told me quietly, voice barely audible at this point. "I also... don't care much about what happens to other people. But Ichijou-San does. He cares... too much. And I hate it... " He paused, eyebrows knitting together in just the slightest change of expression. If he wasn't standing so close to me, I probably wouldn't even have noticed. "I hate it when Ichijou-San is hurting. Which is why... if you have even the slightest want to remember... you should follow me."

It was at those words that I realized something. Shiki was the only one who hadn't lied to me. He hadn't pretended not to know who I was; he never acted like we never spoke. He didn't even bother hiding the fact that he knew my identity, calling me "Terrier-San" the first time we met simply out of laziness of pronouncing my last name correctly.

He even mentioned something about "tutoring". Twice now, I believe. Shiki... is the only one trying to help me. Even if it's because of Ichijou, even if it's _only_ to help Ichijou, Shiki was... doing this. But that brought up another question-have I met Shiki before? If so, when? How? At the "tutoring"? No... was Ichijou my tutor? And that's how I met Shiki? Shiki certainly wasn't being friendly enough to show that we had civilized conversations in the past. But he was being friendlier than anyone else I've interacted with, not counting Yuuki, and has been the only person not to divert the subject when I brought up Ichijou.

_He's the only one who can help me._

Shiki's eyes were staring at me with such an intensity it felt like they were looking into my soul. I felt like a rabbit underneath the gaze of a beast. I curled my fingers, digging my nails into the palms of my hands as I thought about what to do. I couldn't just ditch class to go with Shiki to wherever it was he wanted to take me, but I couldn't miss out on this chance to find out something I've forgotten. I...

My eyes burned a little.

It wouldn't even matter if I missed class, right? I was going to get sent back to America in the end, so... why should I bother trying to be a good kid anymore? I wasn't going to benefit from anything from going to class and neither were my teachers nor the other students, and Skylar's smart enough to piece together everything in the end so she really doesn't need my awful, barely legible notes. What do I have to lose aside from pride and self-esteem? Nothing.

After a long silence, I choked, "Wh-Where are we going?"

...

"Shiki~! Shiki~!" Ichijou called out loudly, worry taking over his heart the moment he woke up and his friend was nowhere to be seen. His scent was faint, too, as if he had been gone for a while now. Ichijou opened the doors to each dorm room, peering in, and even went so far as to barge into Aidou and Kain's when he reached them. Ichijou ran in, pulling the curtains and looking out the window with teary, squinted green eyes. "Shiki!"

Aidou hissed and growled at the sunlight streaming in, burying underneath his covers as he yelled out curses towards the blond Vampire. "Are you crazy!?" He snapped, wincing at the bright light. "What are you doing screaming so early in the morning!? You might not have gotten the memo, being as Human-obsessed as you are, but we _normal_ Vampires do sleep during the day!"

Kain groaned at the loudness, turning onto his side, and picked a pillow up, pressing the fluffy cushion against his ears in an attempt to block out all noise. "Shut up, Hanabusa... You and the Vice Dorm Head are too loud." Aidou gaped, incredulous his cousin was going against him, and cried out indignantly.

"He's the one who started it, Akatsuki!"

"Don't be petty; it's unbecoming of you."

"Wh-Why-!"

Ichijou interrupted them, tears streaming down his face as he climbed onto Aidou's bed and wailed. "Sh-Shiki's gone! I can't find him anywhere!" Aidou scowled, making a face when Ichijou grabbed him and pulled him into a bone-crushing hug, and wheezed. "H-He didn't even leave a note! H-He said he didn't have to do anything today, so he was supposed to catch up on all the sleep he missed, b-but now he's _missing!_ He's been kidnapped, Aidou! Y-You need to do something!"

Aidou pushed Ichijou off of him with a grunt, giving the blond a scathing glare. His face then twisted into confusion once his words registered. "Wait... what do you mean Shiki's gone?" Kaien sighed and reached a hand up, pulling the pillow off of his face as his single visible amber orb turned to look at them. "I thought he was your pet!"

Ichijou's face turned sour, giving the boy genius a pout. "How rude. Shiki is not a pet. He's an "Ichijou". And that means we need to do something about this! This is terrible; how do you not realize the severity of the situation!? What if some of the scary Day Class girls grabbed him!?" He reached out and grabbed Aidou's shoulders, starting to shake him, but Aidou calmly held a hand up and pressed his palm against Ichijou's forehead to stop him. The green-eyed blond blinked, dumbfounded.

"First of all; no way those girls would actually be able to sneak into the Moon Dorm and grab him. They would have gotten distracted by your cute sleeping face and stolen you, too. Second, you forgot about Touya-San. She's like his big sister; if something happened to Shiki she would know. And third, if something _did_ happen to him don't you think we would have had a ransom note? Something like, "Oh, we have your precious Upperclassman Shiki-bring over Upperclassman Ichijou and Lord Kaname-and of course, the one and only, Upperclassman "Idol" if you ever want to see him again!"

He made his voice go highpitch, mimicking the squealing girls as best as he could, and placed a hand on his chest as he spoke about himself using the nickname all the girls have given him. Aidou then turned serious again, speaking just as Kain sat up.

"I'm certain Shiki is just fine. He's lazy, but he does know to how handle himself... I think. He's not stupid. Now go to sleep!"

With that said he picked up his own pillow and shoved it in Ichijou's face, tackling the taller blond and trying to suffocate him with the blankets. Kain sighed, bringing a hand up to his face, and shivered at the cold that touched his bare skin. Unlike Aidou, who slept in silk pajamas, Kain pretty much just slept in his underwear. "Why do you two always make such big fusses in the mornings...?"

Aidou was still trying to strangle Ichijou with the blankets, the six foot tall teen kicking his legs in the air and accidentally getting Aidou in the stomach. The genius blond grunted, but before he could recover one of Ichijou's hands had escaped the cloth trap and nailed him right in the side of the face, sending the poor boy sailing off the bed and all the way to the other side of the room, his body hitting the wall and going completely limp. Ichijou poked his head out of the blankets and gasped, finally finding air, and coughed as he brought a hand up to his throat. Sweat beaded down the side of his face nervously.

"That was scary..." He breathed. "I thought Aidou was actually going to kill me for a moment..." Ichijou then blinked, realizing the blond in question was now missing. He turned his head, looking on in confusion when he saw Aidou unconscious against the wall near the big glass window. "Ah... I did it again, didn't I? Poor thing... That's the second time I accidentally beat him to the point of unconsciousness."

Kain just sighed and fell back, sprawling across his bed with a huge yawn. "It's fine..." He told him, waving it off. "Sometimes he deserves it." Ichijou brought a hand up to his chin thoughtfully, staring at the unmoving figure.

"I suppose... but I still feel the need to apologize. He was just playing, after all."

"And that's what you think," Kain yawned, closing his eyes. Ichijou blinked, looking at the ginger, but before he could ask what he had meant Kain had already drifted off.

...

"...What exactly are we doing here?" I asked awkwardly, sitting uncomfortably in the booth we were at as we waited for food to arrive. Shiki had brought me to a small cafe that had opened not long after the start of August, explaining it was where he and I first truly met. Shiki and Ichijou had apparently found me crying in the streets, wailing about how Skylar had gone missing and that I couldn't find her anywhere.

According to him, Ichijou had been the one to calm me down. Shiki had just gotten off work, not that he told me what he did, and was going to be spending some time with Ichijou in town when they found me. I was in such a mess that Ichijou offered I go with them, to Shiki's annoyance, and we came here to the cafe. Shiki was rather blunt in his story-telling, not going too terribly into details and clipping sentences off so they weren't too long, but I was able to piece together what he was saying. I mainly just got the impression Shiki didn't like me that much.

"To help you remember," Shiki deadpanned, giving me another one of his blatant responses. I appreciated it his honesty, I really did, and I knew that there were probably times when his blunt way of speaking was hilarious, but I wanted _clarification._ Did he expect me to just recall random bits and pieces from sitting here?

I understand memory can come back after being in familiar situations and scenarios, surrounded by familiar people, but... I don't understand what I could remember from being inside a cafe I only went to once. A waitress came by with a basket full of pastries, asking what we wanted to order, and I was about ready to decline when Shiki went ahead and ordered for me.

I went to protest, but he silenced me with what I deemed was his version of a glare. I slunk back into the booth with a frown, pouting, and bit the inside of my cheek as he ordered me fried rice and an omelette. I reluctantly told the lady I wanted water, which she wrote down, and Shiki gave his own order-getting an omelette with vegetable rice. He got water, too. Then, once the waitress was gone, he peered at the basket with an empty expression before pulling out what looked to be a cupcake with a thin coating of icing. He stared at it for a moment.

I was staring out the window, watching everyone walk by, and found it interesting seeing so many people out and about during the day. I expected more cars, but it really was just a little town. People seemed to walk everywhere. I was snapped out of my thoughts when Shiki spoke, the male holding the small pastry out to me.

"...Here..."

"H-Huh?" I looked at him startled. He started to look a bit annoyed, which was when I realized he actually wanted me to take the cupcake from him. "O-Oh, n-no thank you." I stammered, awkwardly waving him off. "I-I don't care for sweets."

Shiki blinked. "You don't...?" I shook my head and gave him a timid smile, hoping I didn't anger him.

"N-No. I-I get sick if I eat too many and I... I just really can't stand them. I don't drink a lot of soda either." Shiki seemed to frown at my words, lips tilting downwards just the slightest, and he stared at me for a long moment. I was beginning to think that one awkwardly social person trying to converse with someone who appeared to be totally antisocial was a bad idea....

"But... you accepted when Ichijou-San offered it to you." He said slowly, as if trying to piece some kind of puzzle together. I blinked at him, surprised. Shiki carefully set the pastry back down, looking at me with a partially tilted head. His gaze, though I could barely read anything off of it, seemed to be curious. "Why... did you come with me so easy?"

"Wh-What?"

His face was expressionless, nothing but an empty canvas coloring his eyes. If I had trouble reading him before, I _really_ couldn't read him now.

"You didn't... seem like the kind of person who would skip class or... do anything that would get them in trouble. Even if... you wanted to remember... for what reason would you have skipped class? Do you go with any stranger that claims they can help?" I gaped at his words, realizing he was inadvertently asking if I was an idiot.

"N-No! I-I just... I just..." I faltered, deflating as I realized I didn't know how to answer that question. I didn't want to be ridiculed or insulted, but... if I answered honestly he might do just that. I fiddled with my fingers, only to soon mess with and pull on the hems on my blazer sleeves. I shifted in my seat again, mentally berating myself for allowing myself to get into this situation. I bit on my bottom lip, trying to think of the best way to go about this. When I realized there was none I reluctantly answered as honestly as I could. "I just... don't see any point in it. I'm... I'm going to be sent back to America soon anyway, right?"

Shiki blinked, almost as if he were surprised by this information.

"F-Fujita-San, the girl who bullied me, was suspended. A-And the Headmaster said that her parents might be sending her to a different school because of her actions a-and since I'm only here because there was an uneven amount of roommates, Fujita-San's old roommate and Skylar are probably going to be paired up. I'm not... I'm not even _supposed_ to be here. I-I didn't sign up for the scholarship, but if I didn't go then Skylar couldn't go and I-I wasn't going to hurt her like that, you know?" I looked at him, praying with all my might that he would understand. Shiki gave no sign that told me what it was he was thinking. "A-And..." I looked away, nervous. He totally thinks I'm an idiot now, doesn't he? "And, well, if I had a chance to remember something before I left I... I'd like to know what it was. Besides, I... I kinda trust you?" It came out as a question, but before I could explain Shiki spoke again.

"Because... I have nice eyes?"

I looked at him in shock. His face remained blank, but he looked a bit like he understood my reasoning now. I mean, it was part of the reasoning; his eyes held no malice or anything that could assemble distrust, but they were also very hard to read. The main reason why I had bothered letting myself go with Shiki was because I felt he was being honest about everything. "S-Something... like that..." I admitted, staring at him a bit strangely. There was... something...

I winced as my head started to pound. The waitress finally came back, setting our drinks down, and I gratefully thanked her and took a sip of the cold water. It helped quite a bit. "You really... don't remember who I am... do you?" I looked up at him, shaking my head regretfully. "Anything that could lead to you recalling Ichijou-San is gone; you don't even remember what I told you when we came here..."

I looked at him in confusion. He held my gaze for a moment before explaining.

"Ichijou-San... had asked why you came to Japan. You told him... what you just said and... believed the Headmaster was going to send you back. But... I told you... that the Headmaster does things with reason." My eyes widened at his words, the light throbbing in my skull growing stronger by the moment. "He wouldn't have brought you here... if he didn't have plans for you. He's eccentric, but... not an idiot."

 _I... I won't be sent back to America?_ A mixture of emotions welled up inside of me. I wasn't entirely sure _how_ I felt in that moment, but I suppose the biggest one was relief. My eyes started to sting again and I held my glass with both hands, staring at the liquid for a moment before taking a drink out of the straw. _I... I can stay._ But... won't I just get in people's way?

Neither of us said anything for a long time. I kept going over his words, thinking about what he said, and actually managed to get a dim vision of us sitting here with Ichijou next to him, the blond smiling as bright as could be. After what felt like ten minutes had passed, I spoke up again. "I'm... I'm actually tempted to ask the Headmaster if I can leave."

Shiki's gaze snapped up to look at me when I said that, the redhead having originally been on the verge of passing out due to the quiet. I was holding onto my drink again, my index finger tapping anxiously against the glass as I feared his response. I regretted even mentioning it, but... I felt like a part of me had to.

"I'm... not contributing to a-anything here, y-you know?" I choked up a little, but I did my best not to cry. I found it hard to look at him. My gaze kept flickering from him to the glass. "A-And... everyone else seems so against me remembering that I-I don't even know anymore. Does Ichijou-San... " I blinked a few times, finding that term odd and incorrect. "Does Ichijou-Kun even _want_ me to remember? I-If he doesn't, wouldn't I just be causing more problems? O-Or... Or Eliza. S-Skylar, even. I-If I stay here, I'll just be in their way, r-right?"

Nope. No. I'm fine. I-I'm fine. I swallowed, feeling a lump forming up in my throat.

"They're super smart and will graduate no problem, a-and... and I'm stupid so chances are I-I'll just drag them down. I-I can barely even talk to them, so with my how bad my luck is they'll forget I even exist, and it's not like I have any new friends to keep me going. W-Without... Without Skylar or Eliza I..." My lips curled back and I squeezed my burning eyes shut, wishing I hadn't said anything at all. "I have no reason to _stay_. I-If Ichijou-Kun and I _were_ friends why is he avoiding me? Wh-Why did he pretend he didn't know me!?"

I flinched when my voice raised and I slid further down into the seat, wishing I could hide from the world. Shiki said nothing during my rant, not that I had expected him to, and stared at me. Multiple other in the cafe were looking in this direction as well, some even glaring at me. _Someone please shoot me now..._ I don't want to do this anymore.

"S-Sorry." I apologized, cursing myself for my stupidity. I really needed to learn when to stop talking. I just... I'm just going insane. Not knowing anything is... It's just really taking a toll on me.

Shiki still didn't say anything, and it wasn't until seven more minutes had passed that we got our food that he _did_ say something. It was only when the waitress, who had been casting Shiki numerous curious glances before, came over and gave us our food that she pulled a magazine _out of her apron_ and asked him for an autograph that he did speak.

Well, it was more like a soft noise of surprise, and he pulled a pen out of his jacket pocket as if he were used to it. I stared on in confusion, not understanding what was happening. _Shiki's... autograph? What...?_

"A-Are you famous or something?" I asked, befuddled. He blinked, looking at me with the slightest hint of surprise, while the waitress looked totally flabbergasted. "Why does she need your autograph? What do you do?"

"...I model."

"And he's the _best!_ " The girl squealed, raising her hands up and pressing them against her face. She practically had hearts in her eyes. "His mother was a famous actress when he was little and he was scouted because of it; he's been modeling ever since! He's super popular, oh my god, how have you _not_ heard of him!?" I looked back and forth between them, a little intimidated and overwhelmed by the situation at hand.

"O-Oh, I-I-I don't... I don't read magazines. A-And all the models I have seen were photoshopped, s-so..." I gave a timid shrug, tugging on the hems of my blazer nervously. "Y-Yeah. Um. I-I'm s-sorry..."

The girl's pout was gone, instead taking the magazine Shiki had just autographed and handing it over to me. "Well, Shiki-San's famous for more than just looks! He and another model, Touya Rima, are one of the few to have _never_ been photoshopped! They're just so perfect! Like, look at them!" She pointed at Shiki and the orange pig-tailed girl that was standing beside him in the magazine. I leaned back, startled and alarmed at the close proximity as she moved closer and started to flip through the pages.

My eyes flickered to the _real_ Shiki, who just seemed bored of all the whole thing. I looked back, gingerly taking the magazine from the girl so I could flip through it myself. My eyes scanned the anatomy, looking for any big give aways, before going back through and searching for any minor details. "Huh. I'm impressed," I said, raising my eyebrows. There really _was_ no... oh. Wait. "No. Hold on." I picked the magazine up, holding it an angle, before looking the real Shiki and turning so I was looking at him from the same view as I was looking at the magazine. "Can you turn your head a little-yes. Thank you!" I hummed thoughtfully, looking back-and-forth, before nodding my head. "They messed with your jaw."

Shiki blinked, while the girl looked horrified. She yanked the magazine out of my hold, causing me to yelp in surprise and let go in fear of ripping it, and stared at it intently before looking at Shiki. "Oh my god, you're right! What the heck!? How could they do that to a god!?"

I held a finger up and piped up with a small voice, "I-I think they got Touya-San's waist, too... her spine should be broken at that angle. But while Shiki has a lot of sharp features, his jawline is more delicate a-and defined and they tried to change that t-to make it stronger... "

Shiki was silent, his messily chopped bangs falling into his face, and without a word reached forward to take the magazine from the waitress. People were casting us curious and confused glances now, wondering why we were making such a fuss and if something was wrong. Silently, sluggishly, Shiki turned the pages. He stared at the pages we had pointed out, his lips tilting down into a very deep frown.

It wasn't much of an expression change, but it was enough to know he was unhappy. Very, _very_ unhappy. He closed the magazine and pushed it towards the girl, who tentatively picked it up, and he reached into his pocket to pull out his phone. He stared it for a moment before dialing a number, holding it up to his ear and waiting as it rang, and when the person finally picked up you could hear an annoyed female voice ranting on the other end.

"...Sorry." Was what he said once the person was done. "No... No. Sorry. No... I'm with Terrier-San... No. Rima... " He sighed. "No. I'm trying to help Ichijou-San... I know. _Rima._ " Shiki actually looked annoyed now. "Be quiet. ...Sorry. This is important. ...? No... It's-... Will you listen?" There was more talking and then silence. "Thank you... It's the newest magazine. ...No. But... they went against our contract. ...Photoshop. ...We're at the new cafe."

He gave her directions, and it was only after the phone ended that I realized he was talking about _Touya_ Rima, the one whom I just found out about. It didn't even strike me that they could possibly work together. It made sense though, especially since I think I saw her with the rest of the Night Class the one day.

Shiki hung up the phone, taking a drink of his water as he pocketed it, and then looked up at the fangirl waitress. "...You can leave now." She squeaked and nodded, scurrying off quickly. I watched as she did so, squirming a little underneath all the stares, and looked at the food on my plate. Shiki sighed and leaned his head back, yawning loudly and showing off a pair of surprisingly long and pointed canines. "I'm so tired..."

I blinked at him. "If you're tired you didn't have to kidnap me, you know. You _are_ supposed to sleep during the day." He opened an eye and looked at me, expression no longer as annoyed or dark. It was back to his usual blank stare. "Wh-What?" Shiki sat up and leaned forward, nose twitching a little.

"...Your scent's changed..." My eyes widened at his words. What did he mean "my scent's changed"? I took a shower; I shouldn't smell that weird. Besides, what would he know? He's not a bloodhound, is he? Shiki blinked. "You're scared."

"Wh-What?"

"..." He stared at me, again, and didn't stop. He tilted his head, eyebrows knitting together just slightly as he looked on unblinkingly. It was highly unnerving. "You're scared of _me_."

"N-No!" Why on earth would I be scared of him? I'm just... confused. A lot was happening today and... I'm not sure if I understand all of it. "I-I just-I'm just lost. I..." My head was pounding again. I tried not to cringe, not to show pain, but it was difficult. My head had begun to throb when I mentioned he could have just slept instead of going out of his way to kidnap me, and it had only continued to do so more violently when he yawned.

Why did seeing Shiki's sharp teeth make me think of Ichijou? He... He didn't have abnormally long canines like he did, too, did he? I propped my elbow up on the table as I leaned forward, pressing a hand against my forehead. I felt sick. _Could have slept... instead of talking to me..._ There was something. Something small, something important, something _there_ I just can't grasp...

"D-Did... Did I talk... to Ichijou during the day a lot?" I bit out, grabbing a fistful of my bangs. Shiki nodded slowly, curiosity just barely showing in his apathetic eyes. "Was... Was he..." Oh god, I can't breathe. I dug my nails into my scalp, flinching at the sharp pains exploding within my skull. "W-Was he... p-part of the "t-tutoring" you... you keep mentioning?" My heart was pounding loudly in my ears.

"..." I watched as Shiki nodded out of the corners of my stinging eyes. "The Headmaster... assigned him to tutor you." What? But... _Agh! No-_ god damn it, it hurts! I buried my head in my arms, pulling at my hair, and resisted the urge to cry out as the pain only became worse. Shiki continued, not stopping despite how clearly painful it was for me to try and remember anything. "You came over to the Moon Dorms... and spoke to Ichijou-San. You fainted the next day."

I stopped breathing entirely. I clung onto his words, each and every one, and listened. My brain felt it was going to turn into mush, pressure building up on all sides, but as Shiki spoke I could recall things. Not many things, but glimpses. It hurt, but I clung onto those glimpses as tightly as I could, desperately trying to remember all that had happened. Ichijou really _had_ been the one to tutor me... hadn't he?

 _"I did! Don't you remember?"_ Panic... there was so much panic in those eyes... I pulled my hands away from my hair, instead digging my fingers into my arms as I hugged myself instead. I was breathing heavily, leaning over and wheezing. _"We were at the cafe with Shiki and you mentioned how you were horrible at math and science! I promised we'd help you!"_ Warm... so warm...

I felt like I was freezing, sitting in the cold as I tried to recall the memory of warmth that he had given me. There was the sound of bells ringing, bells that sounded more like sirens as the door to the cafe opened and heels clapped against the marble ground.

_"I've got Irene-Chan all to myself now~ Ah, but it would be better if it weren't for the schoolwork."_

Laughter. Smiles.

_"Well, I suppose if you're_ _that_ _worried about an axe murderer jumping out at me you can come with me."_

A comforting hand...

_"Why did you lie and say you promised to tutor me?" I finally managed to ask, still at a loss as to why he did such a thing._

The footsteps stopped by our booth. Slowly, even though it hurt, I brought my head up from my arms and looked up through blurry vision to see a woman towering over us. She stood there, pink umbrella closed and resting on her shoulder. She was dressed in a brown overcoat, her bright orange hair pulled up by two black ribbons. Her electric blue eyes focused on me.

_"I like spending time with you, Irene-Chan. And due to our time differences we wouldn't be able to be around each other too often. This seemed like a win-win situation; I can spend time with you and you can raise your grades up at the same time. I-I thought it was a great idea, but...""_

Rima Touya... I knew it was her, but at the same time I found myself staring at someone completely different. He looked like a kicked puppy as he made that expression, smiling sheepishly as he set the pencil down and scratched his cheek.

_"I guess you don't feel the same way, huh?"_

He looked so upset. I choked, staring up at him with a mixture of emotions. I couldn't describe how I felt; there was just so much going on with my heart at that moment I _couldn't_ explain. All I knew was that it felt like it was breaking a-and... seeing him like that...

Shiki looked surprised when I suddenly shot out of my seat, and the man who had been smiling sadly let out a small yelp when I tackled him around the waist, the two us falling and tumbling onto the ground. Oddly enough, as we fell, the man changed from the tall blond I had been hallucinating in seeing to the famous model Shiki had been speaking to just moments before. She looked less than happy when I buried my face in her chest, choking on my tears as I cried.

I had forgotten him... I had forgotten Ichijou Takuma, my _friend_. I didn't remember everything; in fact, I was certain I had only recalled not even a _portion_ of our time together. But I remembered our first meeting... and bits and pieces between there and the conversation we had when I first went to the Moon Dorms for tutoring. I hadn't the slightest clue as to what happened that made me faint, as Shiki didn't go into details, but Ichijou was avoiding me for some reason. He and the rest of the people I've spoken to are pretending not to know who I am.

I hiccuped, pulling away slowly from Rima and helping her stand as my head pounded. I forced out multiple more apologies, everything ringing and pounding and making it hard to focus. She scowled, staring at me with an irritable expression, before sighing and fixing her coat.

If there comes a day where I _do_ remember everything... will I be able to speak to Ichijou? Even if he did do something that was part of the reason that caused me to become amnesiac, I... want to forgive him. I want to tell him it's okay. And... above all else... I want to tell him that I'm sorry. He probably won't ever forgive me, and I doubted I even deserved someone like him as my friend, but... just _knowing_ he was someone I had held dearly was enough to make me want to tear my heart out of my chest. 


	16. An Intimidating Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Irene gets dragged to the model agency and Eliza gives Ichijou a well-needed lecture. Meanwhile, Zero is skipping his duties and causing his foster sister worry.

After apologizing to Rima for tackling her I had no choice but to apologize to the employees for causing such a ruckus. Unfortunately, due to my fear of confrontation I ended up crying _again_ and choked on the very words I was trying to get out. They let me go with a warning, apparently finding _some_ kind of mercy, and when I went back to the two models I tried apologizing to Rima for the hundredth time.

She didn't look as annoyed anymore, at least not about the fact that I had tackled her, and was now simply staring at me with a complicated gaze. It was obvious she was thinking about something, but what it was she was thinking about I couldn't tell you. Her eyes held a multitude of emotions, all conflicting and mixing together, while her face remained nearly as blank as Shiki's.

The poor redhaired male looked exhausted and like he wanted to be anywhere _but_ here. I didn't blame him, even if he was the one who invited me out in the first place. The guy was far more antisocial than I was and yet here he was stuck with an awkward, crying child and a grumpy orange-haired woman.

"I can't believe this," Rima sighed, finally breaking the silence. We were sitting at the table silently, waiting for the waitress from before to come over with a couple boxes. The female model looked at Shiki out of the corner of her eye, having sat down beside him once all the fuss had ended. "Did you even think this through, Shiki? The Dorm Head is going to be furious..." When he said nothing the girl lowered her head in exasperation. "I know how much you care about the Vice Dorm Head, but this is going too far... You know as well as I do that she's not going to remember anything."

At her words I blinked, sniffling and pausing in my fiddling of my uniform sleeves. Shiki turned his head away at Rima's words, eyes flickering to stare out the window before focusing on me. The stone orbs were hard to read, but I think he was trying to tell me something. When I didn't speak up, he exhaled quietly. "Terrier-San... does remember." Rima blinked in surprise. Shiki looked at her. "She... remembers things about Ichijou-San."

 _The entire Night Class_ _does_ _know I have amnesia, don't they?_ It was beginning to sound like the only logical explanation for all this. I doubted the Headmaster declared it out on the intercoms for everyone to hear, so maybe everyone knew because I had stopped interacting with Ichijou? It made sense. But still... _This is so lame._

Rima's expression was cold as she looked at me, eyes cool and doubtful. "Is that so...?"

I looked at Shiki nervously, wanting help as I didn't know what do in this situation, and he gave me a small nod. My fingers started to tap nervously against my thigh so I grabbed onto them before clinging tightly onto my uniform skirt, wondering if that meant I should tell Rima all that I knew. After a moment I decided that would be the best course of action, and once I had swallowed the lump that had formed in my throat I began in a choked voice, "I... I only know _some_ things..." She tilted her head.

Shiki was still staring at me, encouraging me in his own stoic way. Seeing as he hadn't said anything, nor tried to stop me, I'm assuming this was what he wanted... Okay, deep breaths.

"I... I know Ichijou-Kun and I... used to be friends. O-Or are friends. Or... were." I blinked, making a strange face as I knit my eyebrows together and thought about it. Seeing as he had been pretending not to know me, would that make us ex-friends? I wasn't entirely certain, but the thought brought a painful ache to my chest. "U-Um, we... we spoke a lot. And... I know I gave him my notebooks to hold onto. I... I think that was how we met?" I looked at Shiki for confirmation, who shrugged lazily. Rima looked intrigued. I bit the inside of my cheek, thinking about my next words.

What else did I know? I had just learned that Ichijou used to be my tutor, courtesy of Shiki, and the Headmaster himself had actually hidden my past with Ichijou from me. To think I had even _spoken_ to the Headmaster before that day was extremely weird, but his friendly mannerisms explained everything. _Granted he did try and hint that Ichijou was trying to tell me something..._

I was just at fault for having not realized it sooner. I thought about that "first" encounter with Ichijou, how he had such a bright smile on his face despite the pain in his eyes. He told me to forget him, that he wasn't anybody important, and... said that I should try to find a friend that suit me. Was he telling me in that moment that we had used to be friends ourselves? That he didn't want anything more to do with me?

"Ichijou-Kun and I... he..." I winced, feeling a light pounding start in the back of my skull. The two models watched curiously, but little emotions showed on their faces. "He made... fun of me." It was dark out and we were in one of the buildings... the Moon Dorm, maybe? "I-It was dark and... s-something about a book?" Oh god, it hurts... I brought a hand up to my face, twisting my fingers into my hair and pulling as I forced myself to look away from them.

Pressure built up on both sides of my skull, my vision threatening to blur as I found myself staring up at a laughing blond. The amused smile stretched far and wide across his face, the teen on the verge of doubling over. I propped my elbows up on the table, leaning over as the tears welled up furiously in my eyes.

"H-He wanted to go to the library for textbooks... a-and I told him it w-wasn't safe because there might be a m-madman or something and... and then he..." I choked, biting my trembling bottom lip as the emotions started to overwhelm me. I was so heartbroken over the loss of such a wonderful friend that the embarrassment and humiliation of speaking my idiocy out loud didn't bother me. "He laughed at me. I-Ichijou-Kun laughed at me a-and... and we went to get the textbooks together." I choked on a laugh, pressing the back of my right hand to my mouth in an attempt to muffle it. I sat up and leaned back in my sat, sinking down into the booth as I played the image of him snaking his arm around mine repeatedly in my throbbing head.

Shiki stared at me for a long moment, steel expression softening just the slightest, before he looked at Rima. "Ichijou-San... told us that story. Don't you remember?" Rima's expression was still cool, but she turned her head and sighed. After a long moment she nodded. Shiki looked back at me. "Ichijou-San always spoke about you... Terrier-San." His voice was barely audible, the male speaking so quietly I almost didn't hear him. "Whenever he came back to the Dorms..."

"You were the first thing he mentioned." Rima huffed, pressing the palm of her hand against her cheek as she finished Shiki's sentence. "It was greatly annoying."

"But," The redheaded male continued, "he always seemed happier."

I had slowly started to raise my head up when they started to speaking, fighting hiccups as I struggled against the sobs trying desperately to escape. Everything hurt; my head, my heart, even my whole body. I was just going through so much stress. My breathing was heavy, but the air seemed to catch in my throat when my gaze met Shiki's own.

The male was blank, like a canvas, so much so it was near impossible to get read on him, but at this moment the only thing I could describe him as was _determined_. His eyebrows knitted just slightly, eyes narrowing the smallest fraction, and his lips had tilted just a little downwards.

"And that's why..." He started, "if being separated from you hurts Ichijou-San... I'm going to make sure you two get back together. I want... to help him..."

Rima's eyes flickered towards Shiki's hand, which was just out of my view as it was residing on his lap, and watched as his fingers flexed before slowly curling into a fist. He was shaking. Concern flashed in her eyes as she raised her eyes to look at his face, finding it odd that Shiki was acting so different today.

"And since... you are someone important to him... I want to help you, too."

He finished his sentence with great pause, looking almost uncertain with how to phrase his words, and looked just the tiniest bit surprised when Rima placed a hand on his shoulder. He blinked at her, turning his head. Something passed between them, a silent conversation I didn't understand, and as his shoulders started to relax Rima pulled her hand away.

Her soft stare then turned fierce, her electric blue eyes glaring at me with such intensity I thought I was going to light up in flames. Unlike Shiki, who was laid-back and stoic, Rima was cool and intense. The girl stared at me, not saying anything, before sighing in defeat. "There's no point in fighting it, is there...? Since you _are_ able to remember Ichijou-San... I'll help." Her eyes flickered to Shiki just briefly before looking at me again. The resolve in her eyes were clear, but there was also a hint of something lighter-something almost kind. "But I'll do it only because Shiki is and since I don't like seeing Ichijou-San upset either. Understand?"

I stiffened, nodding as I swallowed the lump in my throat. I was scared to speak up, so much so that I was actually debating whether or not I should climb underneath the table just to get away from her fiery gaze. She and Shiki were so much alike, yet so different at the same time. Unlike him, this woman seemed to have a temper, showing far more emotion than I've ever seen him do in the short time I've "known" him- which of course made her easier to read, but she was downright terrifying...

Around eight minutes later the waitress _finally_ came back with the boxes, making me wonder what on earth she had been doing as while I understand cafes can be busy there was almost nobody else here...

Shiki had fallen asleep during that time, so while I was packing up the food Shiki had ordered for me Rima woke him up. I awkwardly put the food in the boxes, uncomfortable underneath both of their stares, and was in the process of closing mine when a sharp pain pricked my finger. My eyes widened and I hissed, retracting my hand away in surprise when I accidentally sliced my index finger on the styrofoam edge.

I was startled only temporarily, my surprise fading when I saw I was wounded. I stared at the injury curiously, wondering how I managed to always hurt myself in such odd and unpredictable ways, and gave a bitter grin. I wasn't in the mood to be amused by my klutziness, nor was I in the mood to show off my ridiculous injuries.

I just sighed at the normal everyday occurrence and ripped off a piece of napkin, pressing it against the wound. "Somehow, I'm not surprised," I lamented, forcefully grinning. I was just so done with everything right now. I hurt, my eyes burned, and my stomach was still twisting sickly from having not eaten. What was the point of ordering food if we weren't actually going to eat? I suppose that was my fault; I could have eaten while talking, but I didn't want to be rude... Man, I feel nauseous.

I closed the box properly with my left hand, putting pressure against my right index finger with the thumb of that hand, before looking up at Rima and Shiki when I felt their intense gazes still on me. I blinked, seeing Shiki still hadn't bothered trying to put his away. I was about to ready ask if he wanted help when he spoke.

"You really are clumsy... " He said it as if he had heard stories about my klutziness, but never quite believed it until that moment. Rima just blinked.

"I feel bad for Ichijou-San..." She murmured softly.

I blinked dumbly at them, utterly confused at what they meant. "What do you mean?" My grin had dropped, so I was staring at them with an expression that almost rivaled Shiki's. I was utterly lost, but I lacked the necessary energy to try and input said emotion onto my face. It was just way too much work for me right now.

When neither Rima nor Shiki said anything we were left in an awkward silence, I not knowing what to say and the two models not wanting to say anything. After a good minute or two I decided enough was enough and started to put Shiki's meal away for him, the redhead lazily opening his eyes when I started to do so and watching in curiosity. Rima was silent, expression calm as she watched me.

I pulled my pencil out of my uniform blazer pocket, clicking it on the side and pushing out the led. I wasted no time in writing down Shiki's name, the sloppy handwriting expressing itself quite vividly, and I wondered why I had to have such horrible handwriting when I could draw so well. I paused when I realized I wrote Shiki down as actual English letters, before crossing it out and trying again in Kanji. I hadn't the slightest idea as to _how_ his name was written, so I decided to take a random gamble and wrote it as "to support mallow".

I stared at the writing for a moment, wondering why the kanji of the name itself looked so familiar, before moving to hand Shiki the box. As I did so a sharp pain blossomed and spread across my skull, and as I tensed up Shiki's eyes glanced at me lazily from behind his choppy bangs. Rima raised an eyebrow.

_"Uwah~! Such bad handwriting! You haven't been taking lessons from Shiki, have you? This is as bad as his!"_

I-I can't... I'm sorry... I didn't know how to respond to the voice. It was joking, not rude at all, but in the polite tone there was an underline of a laugh.

_"You're just like Shiki! You're so lazy~! And every time I come in here you're always sleeping."_

I didn't say anything as a pair of hands took the box out my hold. I just sat there, staring into nothing as the short flash of a moment played throughout my head. Glimpses passed, only small clips of lost memories playing. _Ichijou-Kun... thinks I act like Shiki...?_ Lifelessly I raised my head, looking at the man sitting across from me. His gaze was empty, with only the barest detectable hints of concern.

_"I feel like if you two stopped to actually talk, you guys would get along quite well! Shiki's lazy and doesn't express himself well, but he's really a kind person. Oh! But if you guys become friends you aren't allowed to forget about me, okay? I knew you first, so that makes me your favorite!"_

Ichijou pouted at me, arms crossed as he tried to be serious. A laugh resounded within my head, light and joyous. I wanted to reach out to him, to grab hold of his arm before he could fade away, but all I touched was air and the image in front of me vanished. When I blinked I was back at the booth, hand raised in the air with Shiki and Rima staring at me oddly. I jolted, looking at them in alarm.

It was then that Shiki blinked, having realized what had happened. He opened his mouth to say something, but before he could Rima's phone went off and she spoke up, saying, "The manager is here." She got up and grabbed her umbrella, slinging it over her shoulder, and looked at Shiki and I expectantly.

The redhead sighed and pulled out his wallet, placing a couple dollars on the table for a tip, before putting the proper amount of cash in the check. He got up and stretched, yawning loudly and leaning against Rima after doing so for balance. She just watched him silently.

I was confused, as I wasn't sure if they wanted me to follow them or not. I decided to get up, and it was at that moment I noticed my face felt wet. I brought a hand up, fingers brushing against my cheek in surprise when I realized I was crying again. I must look awful... _How lovely,_ I thought dryly, wiping at my face and rubbing at my eyes with my blazer sleeves.

I had just gotten most of the tears away when a hand suddenly wrapped around my wrist, tugging on my arm and pulling me forward. I yelped, stumbling as Shiki forcefully dragged me out of the cafe and following Rima. I know Rima had called the Manager so she and Shiki could have a ride to the company they worked for, the two wishing to have a chat with their boss, but...

 _Wh-Why am I being forced to go with!?_ I have nothing to do with their job! _Wh-Whoa!_ I almost crashed into Shiki's back when he stopped abruptly, opening the car door, and cried out in protest when he pushed me into the car. The Manager that was driving turned her head back to look over her shoulder in surprise when she saw me crashland into the backseat. I groaned and, upon hearing the opposite door open, I scrambled to pull myself up into a sitting position. I stiffened when Rima climbed in from one side, Shiki sitting beside me on the other.

"A-Are you alright?" The manager asked, her eyes wide. She then blinked, shaking her head and staring on in confusion. "Wait, hold on; who _are_ you? Shiki-Kun, Rima, you never said anything about bringing a friend along! I'm not a taxi service! I thought you were being serious when you said you had business to take care of with the department!"

"We do," Rima told her bluntly, frowning. "And Terrier-San is not a friend. She's an acquaintance."

I tried not to flinch at her words, finding it to be quite the painful reminder that I wasn't meant to be here in Japan. I'm just a shadow of those who are... I slumped my shoulders, biting my bottom lip as I lowered my head disheartenedly. _I know Rima doesn't like me, but... did she have to be so blunt about it?_ I appreciated her honesty, but... that really hurt. My fingers curled and grabbed onto the hem of my skirt, clutching tightly onto the fabric as I thought about my situation. _Maybe I_ _should_ _ask the Headmaster if I could leave early...?_

I wasn't wanted here anyway. No one would miss me. Skylar's already so busy I doubt she'd even notice my absence, and Eliza... well, when was the last time I even seen her? I haven't texted her once since the incident because I didn't want to bother her with unnecessary chatter if she was busy and, due to the fact that our time schedules are so different, we'd be getting twenty-four hour late responses.

"Well," The female manager started as she turned on the engine and started driving, "acquaintance or not I'm glad you're talking to more people. I understand you and Shiki-Kun are close, but it's good to get out and talk to other people every now and then. You ignore all the other models on set, so I get worried sometimes. Branching out and making connections are a good thing. But I _still_ refuse to be a taxi service! Keep this up and I'll start charging you."

"You'd be breaking contract..." Shiki said softly, not looking away from the window as he spoke. "You can't charge the models you work for."

"Then start finding someone else to drive you everywhere." She retorted. I sat there awkwardly, looking back-and-forth between the people as they spoke. I wondered what it was like to be a model, as being famous sounded more like a hassle than anything else. The woman did give out quite the sagely advice though, so I had to give her points for that. She sounded a bit like my dad, actually. I kinda miss his history lectures...

I felt a bit homesick thinking about him and the rest of my family, and did my best to divert my attention. It was only when my uniform was mentioned that I snapped back into reality.

"That's the Day Class uniform, isn't it? Why aren't you in school right now?" She looked curious, glancing every so often into the rearview mirror, but also a little stern. "You two aren't making her skip class, are you?"

Rima turned her head to look at Shiki, who promptly refused to look at anyone as he purposefully remained silent. "..."

"Shiki-Kun! You can't force other people to skip class! It's understandable for when you have work, as both you and Rima are hard-working individuals, but it's not okay to jeopardize another person's education!" She's... She's yelling at him. Wh-Why is she yelling at Shiki? I was the one who agreed to go with him...

Frightened by the raise of her voice and the idea of Shiki getting into trouble I timidly spoke up, stammering over my words as I thought of a decent excuse. "I-It's not his fault. Shiki... Shiki-San was just trying to help me. I-I got really sick a-and he took me out so I could eat something because of my low blood pressure..." I laughed nervously, giving an anxious smile as I brought a hand up to rub at my neck. "I... I haven't eaten in the last few days a-and... I'm friends with someone he knows, s-so... he was looking out for me. S-So... So please don't yell at him?" My voice got quieter the more I spoke and went up an octave near the end, the sound dying off not far before I finished. Thankfully, she managed to hear me.

"Shiki-Kun did?" She sounded disbelieving, and it took all I had not to cower underneath the inquiring gazes of the two blue-eyed models. "...Fine. I'll let it slide this time. But only because Shiki-Kun never goes out of his way for anyone unless it's for good reason. Who are you friends with that he knows?"

Th-That is... um... It took all my willpower not to cringe at the question. My face went blank, thinking of how to respond, while my eyes glistened with all the mess of emotions I was feeling. I had been hoping she wouldn't have asked that, even though I _had_ considered the possibility of her doing so before I even tried defending Shiki. My thought was "if I tell her he's helping me because I used to be friends with Ichijou, she'll get mad, but if I tell her that it's because I _am_ friends with Ichijou things might be okay". I just didn't wanted her to ask who I was friends, because I didn't know if I'd be lying or not.

Shiki's gaze was intense, boring into my skull like curious knives. "Ichijou-San..." He answered slowly, "Terrier-San is... friends with Ichijou-San."

"Ichijou-San? Oh! Do you mean that tall blond that picked you up the other day?" He nodded. "I still feel bad about that... but my car had stopped working." She frowned, looking apologetic, before focusing her attention to me as she spoke. "What was your first impression of Ichijou-San? He was so good-looking I accidentally mistook him as a model from another company when I first saw him." She laughed.

_First... impression?_

I thought about it. I don't really remember my _first_ meeting with him, but... I do recall very vividly when I had caught sight of him sitting there in the chair beside my bed, one leg crossed over the other with _Hellsing_ being held ever-so delicately in his hands. The way his acacia honey blond hair had fallen into his porcelain face, with his emerald eyes focused so attentively on what it was he was doing... that bright, warm smile. The pain and sadness in his eyes.

"...Painting." I nodded, fiddling with my fingers nervously as I awaited their response. "H-He... looked like a painting. A really nice... sad painting of a person that you really wanted to hug. I... didn't think he was real." I cleared my throat awkwardly, more than a little embarrassed by what I was saying. "But in my defense I've never seen someone so gosh darn pretty until him, so fight me! And Shiki-San and Rima-San are almost as pretty as he is, so I'm not totally crazy!"

I got louder as I spoke, becoming more confident and frightened at the same time, and held an index finger up defensively. I wasn't sure _why_ I was getting so flustered; in a way I barely even knew the guy. Was it because I wasn't completely knowledgeable about what our relationship is that I'm getting so flustered?

"...Terrier-San..."

I tensed and looked at Shiki nervously, fearful of his next words. If I wasn't wearing a seatbelt, I probably would have fallen over at what he said next. I blinked when he raised a hand up and pointed at my nose.

"Why is your face so red...?"

My eyes widened. Rima's gaze was scrutinizing and burning, as if she was debating whether or not to throw me out of the car. Hopefully not, as I really wanted her to be nicer than what she was turning out to be. Unlike Shiki, Rima was completely terrifying... although they both had some strange form of intimidating auras about them. Sitting between them like this made me feel like a small rabbit between a deadly tiger and her dormant dragon. "I-It's not-Is it!?" I looked at Rima for confirmation, alarmed, and the girl just nodded.

I brought my hands up to my face, feeling how warm it was, and was certain I only grew darker as I tried to figure out _why_ I was getting so red.

"I-I'm not-" I started to protest, feeling the heat rise to my face, but when I looked up I was gone, instead trapped underneath the gaze of amused emerald eyes. I resisted the urge to lean away, biting my trembling bottom lip as Ichijou leaned down and chuckled, the sound reverberating deep from within his chest. "I-I'm not..." I covered my twitching mouth with the back of my hand, at a loss. After a moment I squeezed my eyes shut and cried out, "It's not!" I wasn't blushing! I-I can't be. What reason would I even have to blush? This is so stupid.

 _"Even your ears are red, Irene-Chan!"_ He laughed, confirming my worst fears. _"You're adorable~."_

"No, I'm not! Sh-Shut up!" I tried to turn away, to place my hands over my ears, but he was right there in front of me, just as close as before. Then he leaned closer, breath ghosting across my face as his nose threatened to bump into mine, an innocent frown adorning his face. _T-Too close!_

 _"And how come?"_ He asked curiously, eyes glimmering with affection, _"I think you are."_

My heart was about ready to burst out of my chest at that, the poor organ racing and pumping blood like crazy. I felt a bit faint, having a lot of trouble breathing, and then next thing I knew a hand was on my shoulder, shaking me lazily. "Terrier-San...?" I jumped, startled, and looked at the pair of stone blue eyes in alarm. Lacking any and all emotion... except for the barest trace of curiosity and... concern?

"Sh... Shiki-San?" I breathed, wondering what just happened. Did... Did I have another episode? But... that felt so real this time. I could see him so clearly. Slowly, I pulled my hand away and raised it up in front of my face to stare at it, recalling how I had grabbed the hands that had been poking my face and pressing them against his chest. _It was so vivid..._

Why was I able to remember that one so clearly when with the others it was so much harder to make out even one simple detail? The emotion, the detail, the _warmth_... it was so intricate and _there_ it felt as if it was really happening. Was it... because that specific memory was one that had a lot of impact on me? On... whatever it was we were? Our friendship?

"Who were you talking to?" Rima quietly asked me, frowning. "It didn't sound like you were speaking to Shiki..."

I opened my mouth to respond, but closed it and instead looked down uncomfortably. How _could_ I answer that? What if it wasn't actually a memory and just a hallucination brought on by my sickness and paranoia? I didn't want to be wrong, I didn't want to be crazy, but if there was a chance it _was_ a memory...

I started to speak, lifting my head up to meet Rima's eyes, but cut myself off when I realized the manager was still here. "I... I'll tell you later." I choked out, biting the inside of my cheek and sinking down into the seat. I felt so stupid... but at the same time, I felt a little relieved. If it _was_ a memory then that meant I was making progress. Really, _really_ good progress. I may have regretted coming out here with Shiki earlier, but now I was actually feeling quite grateful. A small, timid smile spread across my face at the thought, and I fiddled with my sleeves while looking down at my hands.

I wanted to kick my feet back-and-forth in excitement, but I resisted as there wasn't really any room for me to do so and I didn't want to accidentally anger any of them. I'm getting better at understanding some customs and etiquette, but others I'm not entirely sure about. Half of what I'm worrying about is probably unoffensive at all, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

I turned and looked at Shiki curiously, wondering just how close he and Ichijou really were. For some reason, I don't think I spoke to Shiki very often... and I kind of wished I had. He's going through so much to help me; maybe I was being wishful, but... I'd like for us to become friends. Even if it's only for a short while before I have to go back to America...

The way he described Ichijou, and the way he described Ichijou describing me, made me wonder if Shiki viewed the blond with the same kind of respect I do for Eliza and Skylar. The two girls were my everything. Them and my family... they were highly important to me. If Shiki thought of Ichijou the same way I thought of them... maybe we are as alike as my one "vision" claimed?

Everything Shiki had told me about Ichijou made it seem like I was someone the blond had viewed very highly, the redhead having said that Ichijou spoke about me constantly and that he "cared a lot". It was as if Ichijou held me up on the same pedestals I held Eliza and Skylar. And Shiki...

I observed the redhead for a few good seconds, deciding that he was a very complicated person. He was intimidating and silent, but blunt and honest, and while very little emotions made it through and his eyes were difficult to read he was a kind person. He was going out of his way to help me, someone whom he probably only spoke to once or twice, to help his best friend.

Without a doubt Ichijou and Shiki were close. In fact, while it being mere speculation from what I have learned, I would even go so far as to say that they were inseparable in terms of bond. If I hadn't spoken to Ichijou at all, Shiki wouldn't be here trying to help me remember him. I just wished I had a clear picture of who the blond really was...

I knew what he looked like, the image of him was ingrained into my mind ever since our "first" meeting when I woke up in the Headmaster's guestroom. I only knew snippets of his personality however, both from what I had seen and from what Shiki had told me. So far it seemed like Ichijou was a bright and bubbly person, but also one who enjoyed teasing others. Kind and friendly and... intimidating _._ I frowned at that, noting how everyone from the Night Class so far seemed rather strange. There was just some kind of... _air_ around them. Souen, Shiki, Rima... Ichijou-they all had some sort of intimidating aura.

I hung my head and sighed, silently berating myself. _This is starting to become an obsession..._ I seriously needed to stop. But could it really be considered an obsession since it's for a good reason? It's not like I'm focusing solely on Ichijou for weird reasons; I just want to remember who he was and what he had to do with my life. It can't be _that_ weird... right?

My head hurt just thinking about it. Everything ached, my body felt sore, and my heart felt just as empty as before. The only consolation was that whenever I thought about the blond I felt the barest bits of warmth trying to close the empty gap. _I wonder..._ My eyes closed and I leaned my head back, fingers curling instinctively as I recalled the sensation of someone else's fingers being laced with mine.

_"W-Why wouldn't I be worried? I-I mean, y-you're my friend... s-so... yeah."_

Seriously, if it was going to hurt him in the long run he shouldn't... bother himself with me. He's supposed to sleep during the day anyway, so... he shouldn't... visit... no matter how much I want him to do so....

It didn't take long for me to drift off into sleep, having been plagued with nightmares and paranoia for far too long. I slumped against the seat, drifting off at the memory and sensation of a comforting and warm shoulder against my own.

...

Eliza yawned loudly as she left her dormroom, rubbing at her face and stretching her arms out in front of her as she made her way down the hallway. The last few days had been completely _hectic_ ; Eliza had never been very close to Skylar, Irene being the only real link she had to the other girl, but ever since Kuran Kaname had ordered the erasure of Irene's memories Skylar had been seeking out the Level-C's company more often than not.

Irene hadn't even been messaging Eliza recently-something that while was worrying, wasn't really a thing that bothered her. Irene knew Eliza was lazy texter, especially since the Vampire had always been so busy with work back in America, but the girl did try and send her messages every now and then. More often than not it was to let her know about some weird, funny event that had happened to her before later asking how Eliza was doing and how her day had been.

The human girl always did have a strange affinity for texting in huge paragraphs, preferring to try and use proper grammar on the cellular devices instead of shorthanding and cutting down on sentences. And Skylar-well, Eliza didn't even _have_ her number. Far as she knew Skylar didn't even have minutes on her phone, constantly having to use Facebook to message everyone, so Eliza really had no way to get into contact with her aside from school.

But now, since the incident happened, Skylar was constantly appearing more frequently at the Moon Dorms. She tried starting fights with _everyone_ ; Eliza is pretty sure the only person who _had_ managed to escape her wrath was Ichijou, and even that was rocky. If it wasn't for the fact that Ichijou was so affected by what had happened to Irene, whether he pretended to hide his feelings about it or not, the smiling blond would have been the first on Skylar's hitlist.

Always smiling, never stopping... eyes so pained, but grin so bright. Eliza stopped midway on the stairs, frowning as she thought about her new friend's mental and emotional state. In a lot of ways Ichijou had reminded her of Irene; they were such bubbly, kind people. They got excited easily and whenever speaking about something they were passionate about or just overly happy with they practically _sparkled_. Ichijou and Irene were just a bunch of cinnamon rolls and yet... Kuran Kaname had to do such a horrible thing to them both.

She gripped the railing tightly, hate flowing through like a flame. _Rotten Pureblood..._ She wanted to wrap her hands around that pretty neck of his and strangle him. Unfortunately, she knew she couldn't as he could easily kill her faster than she could bat an eye. _I hope he suffers,_ she thought angrily, huffing.

Eliza rubbed at her throat, nose twitching at the scent of blood. Tea leaves and vanilla... The girl snapped out of her thoughts and peered over the railing curiously, confused and slightly concerned. _Is that...?_ Yup. Speak of the devil.

Ichijou was picking up what appeared to be shattered pieces of a tea set. To her shock the smile was gone from his face, a darker and more serious expression taking its place. He didn't even seem to smell her scent-or even be aware of her existence in the room at all. His hand was coated in blood, probably having sliced it on some of the glass shards, and his emerald eyes were greatly tinted red. He was breathing heavily.

 _Ichijou...?_ He didn't look very good. He... He looked hungry. _Really_ hungry. It didn't take long for Eliza to put two-and-two together, the girl as perceptive as she was angry at the Pureblood ruling over as their Dorm Leader. Of course, it wasn't hard for the rest of the Night Class to come to realize Ichijou's feelings towards her human friend either, but... she doesn't think any of them knew how much he was craving her blood.

Irene had always avoided relationships like the plague, not trusting High School relationships and not wanting to be heartbroken, so she's never really dated anyone before. But she and Ichijou had been so cute together Eliza just... really wanted things to work out. He'd be good for her. And now...

Both of their smiles are gone. One fake and one nonexistent... or so she had been told. Eliza hasn't seen much of Irene outside of school hours, even when she had been cooped up in the Headmaster's place, but Skylar always kept her updated. She told her about their breakfasts and dinners, and Ichijou constantly spoke about what happened to her and the rest of the Night Class as well. It was like his favorite topic. But now he doesn't do that. And, according to Skylar, from the short time she's been able to see the small girl since the incident, Irene wasn't any better off.

 _"I barely even see her in the mornings anymore, but... she always just looks so sad. Sometimes she stares off into space, and I_ _know_ _it's because she's trying to remember something. What I don't know is if she knows she's forgetting anything; Irene's not told me anything at all..."_

They were growing distant. And distance was something dangerous for Irene. The girl was as clingy as they came, and if the stories of her cousin are true then it made sense. The girl always blamed everything on herself, and Eliza had spent the four to five years she's known her trying to get her to stop apologizing for everything. So if Irene _did_ in fact know she was forgetting something, and came to the realization that she had forgotten _someone_... Eliza feared it would destroy her.

On the bright side, Irene was stubborn. Annoying as it could be at times whenever Eliza tried to convince her to go to the nurse or to stop holding doors open for huge crowds, times like these it came quite in handy. For if Irene _did_ realize she forgot Ichijou she'd probably be trying her damndest to remember. _Such a hufflepuff,_ Eliza thought with a small smirk, thinking of her friend. She had faith in Irene; the girl would remember. She was as loyal as loyal could be.

Eliza decided to stop wasting time and quickly headed down the stairs, walking quietly up to Ichijou who still seemed to not notice her presence. It was only when she knelt down beside him and picked up a glass shard that he looked up, glowing red eyes wide. "E-Eliza-Chan!" He stammered, surprised, and quickly cleared his throat and looked away. Sweat beaded down the side of his face as he looked back at her, smiling as bright as he could manage. "Good morning! How are you doing today?"

"I'm pretty good," She answered honestly, picking up a few shards and placing them carefully into the palm of her hand. Her eyes flickered to the blood coating his fingers, no cuts in sight. He must have healed already. Aristocrats really do heal faster than common class Vampires... the blood was still so fresh, too. "How about you, Upperclassman Ichijou? Are you doing okay?"

"Oh, yes. I'm quite well, actually. Thank you for asking!" He gave her a polite smile, though she knew right away it was fake. "I am quite upset about all this spilled tea though..." He pouted, looking genuinely upset about it. Eliza couldn't blame him; the tea set looked highly expensive, white and decorated with a variety of flowers. It was a rather old-fashioned design of a tea set, but one that could still be considered pretty nonetheless. "Oh, you don't have to help me; I can handle this by myself."

Translation: _I really want to be alone right now._

"I insist," Eliza responded stubbornly. Ichijou's smile remained, though it was clear to someone as perceptive as her that he was annoyed. "It'll get cleaned up faster if we work together."

"Well, I suppose..." He was reluctant, but nodded with a smile regardless. Most of the red glow was gone from his eyes, but tints of crimson remained. His shoulders were tense. Ichijou looked worried about something. Eliza suspected it had something to do with Irene. "Alright then. If I'm unable to dissuade you." Ichijou laughed.

It was silent as the two of them continued to pick up the pieces, Ichijou eventually wiping at the floor with some napkins to pick up the spilled remnants of tea. Eliza said nothing, thinking about what to say and how to bring up the subject without starting anything. Ichijou was someone she considered a friend, whether he did so to her or not, and didn't exactly want to get into an argument with him like she did others.

At the thought a hotheaded blond flashed through her mind, his egotistical smirk setting ablaze the annoyance she tried so hard to store away. Always flirting, always bragging... god, he was such a fuckboy. She really wanted to deliver a good solid punch to his pretty boy face. She said she'd forgiven him for all that he had done, but it didn't mean she hated him any less. He has given her _zero_ likeable traits. She honestly feels bad for his cousins Kain and Souen.

"Um, is something the matter, Eliza-Chan?" Ichijou suddenly asked as he dumped the shattered glass pieces and soiled napkins in the trash. "You look angry... did Aidou do something to anger you again?"

She jumped at his voice, before shaking her head. "No. I'm just mad at the whole situation." His eyes widened before softening, his smile warm if not sad.

"You mean with Irene-Chan?" Perfect. He's reaching out. Sure, it may be with the thought to make _her_ feel better, but Eliza is just fine. She knows Irene will remember him eventually, it's _Ichijou himself_ who she needs to confide in her. She wants to know exactly how he's feeling about this whole incident. "I understand you two are very close... From what I hear Seirin even took away the time you two spent together here in the Moon Dorms. I'm... deeply sorry for that." Ichijou placed his hand on her shoulder, having cleaned it earlier while picking up the glass shards, and lowered his head as he looked down at her. "You haven't been able to speak to her much because of that, have you?"

Eliza decided now would be as good time as any. She locked her eyes on his and said, "It's the same for, you isn't it?" A surprise noise escaped him, his green eyes widening. He was speechless. Dropping the shards in the trash she turned to face him completely, crossing her arms over her chest as she narrowed her eyes. "I know you don't want to talk about it; in fact, I actually respect that you don't. It shows that you care. What I _don't_ like is you pretending that this isn't affecting you."

He stared at her for a long moment before breathing in deeply and closing his eyes. They opened slowly, the smile dropping and a frown adorning his face. "There's no point in focusing on it when I'm supposed to be letting her go. As her friend, you should know that it's what is best for her. I'm not going to foolishly cling onto a friendship that no longer exists."

 _Ichijou..._ Eliza felt her heart sink into her stomach at those words. He really had no faith... did he? But, being an Aristocrat, he must not have heard of many humans that have regained their memories, nor known ones as stubborn as the one he had befriended. Or maybe he's just so heartbroken over it that he's not willing to try and hope...?

"Irene-Chan will be far better off without me. Surely you realize that as well?" He gave a smile, expression morose. "Kaname figured it out before I could, but maybe I was just being selfish..." He glanced off to the side, deep in thought. He brought a hand up to his chin, the other crossing over his chest and propping up his elbow. "No. I definitely was." He sighed. "I really am incompetent... sometimes I wonder why Kaname bothers keeping me around."

"You aren't incompetent," Eliza argued, glaring at him when he said that. He looked surprised at her change of tone. "And so what if you were being selfish? That's normal. You're a regular person just like everyone else, Upperclassman Ichijou."

Eliza resisted the urge to curse out Kaname, knowing that he was one of Ichijou's best friends. Still... she couldn't agree with him. Why do something so cruel to someone you care about? Just what grudge did Kaname have against Irene anyway? She blinked, the thought hitting her. _Oh._ It was _because_ Ichijou cared so much about her that Kaname wanted her gone. He didn't want Ichijou hurt.

Her eyebrows knit together, drawing out a confused glance from Ichijou. _I understand his reasoning now at least, but... can't he see that by doing this he's hurting Ichijou more this way instead of letting the two keep talking?_ That Pureblood really does need some sense smacked into him. He goes warning Eliza about how her actions will have consequences, yet he doesn't even go and think about _his_ actions having consequences? He's toying with his best friend's heart here!

Man, there are so many people Eliza wants to hit these days. Ugh. Is she the only one with common sense in this crazy Academy? The girl took a deep breath and continued speaking, staring at him seriously. He looked at her patiently, waiting for her to speak despite how much he clearly wanted to run away. "But you're wrong about one thing," She told him, frowning deeply. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Irene is _not_ better off without you."   

...

I grimaced at the feeling of being awoken, a hand lightly shaking me.

"We're here," Rima stated.

I yawned loudly and sat up, rubbing at my still swollen eyes, and tiredly followed her out of the car. The manager told the two models that she'd be waiting for them to return, as she knew that they probably had another place they wanted to go. I stood there lifelessly, a blank expression on my face due to exhaustion.

A hand gripping my wrist and tugging didn't do much except cause me to stumble and obediently follow Shiki as he trailed Rima into the building, multiple people casting us curious glances as we walked up to what appeared to be an information desk. We were there for a good half hour, Rima blatantly telling the woman what it was she wanted and who it was she wanted to speak to. She gave absolutely no room for arguments, and Shiki probably only said one or two words every few minutes.

I tried hard not to yawn, but I felt so dizzy and nauseous I almost fell asleep standing up. He was still gripping my wrist, probably having realized I would have gotten kidnapped or lost if left to my own devices, and dragged me along as he and Rima walked off again. I think I felt daggers being placed into my back along the way, but I really just didn't care.

"Stay." Shiki had ordered after we walked up a few flights of stairs and took two elevators. He placed me by a trashcan, my natural habitat, and against the wall. I just nodded tiredly in response and he stared for a moment before following Rima inside some Office. I could hear talking inside, but I paid little attention to it. I just leaned my head back against the wall before kneeling down onto the ground and pulling my knees up to my chest, burying my face in my arms and closing my eyes. I felt like I was going to throw up...

_So dizzy..._

Can I go home now...? I'm so hungry... so... sleepy...

I heard people laughing and snickering, others talking about "trash models" and "rookies". I didn't listen, doubting it would be anything interesting and knowing that it wasn't any of my business, and just focused on calming my breathing and taking a nap. Unfortunately, it seemed the world had other plans as before I knew I was coated in some kind of sticky sour-smelling liquid and was soaked to the bone.

I jumped up and screeched at the sudden coldness that had hit me at the same time the liquid did, stumbling away and bringing a hand up to the top of my head as I stared up in alarm at the person who had dumped said drink on me. My eyes were big and wide as I looked up at her, the curvaceous woman sneering at me as she dangled the cup upside down in her hands.

"Oops," She purred, "sorry. I wasn't looking out to see if there was any foreign trash in my way. I'll be sure to be more careful next time. Maybe put it in the bin where it _and_ the garbage belong."

Wh-Who is...? Wait, what even is this? I brought an arm up to my nose and sniffed it, recoiling in disgust. _Gross! Lemonade? No... ugh, what is it!?_ I gave another tentative sniff. _Nasty._ I raised my eyebrows and shook my head, before giving the girl a slight grin. "No problem, ma'am," I told her, the sarcasm leaking from my tongue sweetly. "I'll even help out; the garbage can _is_ my homeland after all. I happen to be "top class trash"."

So Skylar would put it, at least. Man... I miss her...

The girl scoffed at my words and glared down at me. "Who do you even think you are? A disgusting foreigner like you... Are you trying to worm your way into the higher ranks of society? You think sitting there and _begging_ is going to make people pity you, is going to make _Shiki-San_ attracted to you? What's your relationship with him anyway? Why are you two being so chummy?"

...Hah? Oh... _Ohhh._ Is that what this is about? Not wasting time I plopped down onto my back, startling the poor woman as I yawned loudly and stretched. Then, despite not wanting to move, I pushed myself back up into a sitting position and crossed my legs. I stared at her blankly for a moment. _Sarcasm or no sarcasm...?_ Eh. Too much work. I'm tired. "Why would I want Shiki-San to be attracted to me?" I deadpanned. "And how am I begging?"

"Have you _seen_ the way you were just sitting there? Looking all pathetic in hopes people would pity you..." I blinked multiple times, dumbfounded. She... thought I was looking for sympathy? I like sitting beside trashcans. They served their purpose as a dark corner to hide in. I enjoyed growing my invisible mushrooms that didn't really exist.

I raised a finger, speaking up awkwardly. "If I was looking for pity, don't you think I'd be calling out to people and _telling_ them about oh how horrible my life is and that "woe is me"? I avoid the nurse's office, thank you. I know life sucks; I never said it didn't. I just like complaining 'cause it makes me feel better."

"Of course you do," She scowled. She placed a hand on her hip, glaring at me as she balanced her glass in her other hand. "A worthless commoner like you... I doubt you even understand how the world works. Clinging onto Shiki-San like that..." The woman huffed. "I bet you feel special having him pamper you like that."

Having him "pamper" me...? This girl is even more delusional than I am, and I'm the one having hallucinations on a daily basis! I decided it would probably be best if I stood up, carefully pushing myself up onto my feet, and wobbled a little as I fiddled with my soaking uniform. So gross...

I sighed, shaking my head at her, and gave her a blank stare. If I protested against her words she would most likely not believe me and take my denial of her accusations as the complete opposite, finding them to be the truth, but if I didn't say anything at all she would take my silence as confirmation of her words. Her logic was flawed, and I found myself becoming exasperated with the way her mind worked. I also felt an odd sense of deja vu, as if I had been in this sort of situation before.

"He's not "pampering" me," I told, placing my hands into the pockets of my blazer. I frowned at her, finding it rather sad that she looked down so much on those less privileged than she. I also felt bad for Shiki, as the jealousy and rage this girl was feeling was petty and probably unrequited. I actually kind of wanted to hug the girl now... "Shiki-San is just looking after me for a friend."

Good god, this smell was rancid. It was so pungently sweet and sour it was cringe-worthy, and it made me want to throw up even more than I already did. Okay... deep breaths. Don't inhale so much. Ugh, I feel sick...

"Then why was he holding your hand?"

This girl... jeez. I leaned my head to the side, hanging it in exhaustion. " _Wrist!_ He was holding my wrist." I actually have a bruise from his steel grip. It was as if he was trying to make sure I didn't decide to up and run away. "If you don't believe me you can ask, but I-"

"I-I can't just ask him something like that! Are you stupid!? You ridiculous foreigner; you Americans are all so brash and rude!" Her hands balled into fists, her long manicured nails digging into the palms of her hand. Her dark blue eyes were narrowed angrily, her black hair looking on the verge of bristling up like that of a cat. "Haven't you ever head of proper etiquette!?"

...Says the girl who threw some nasty version of lemonade on me. My eyes lidded and I stared up at her, unimpressed. My expression was blank, emotion only able to be found in my eyes as I looked at her. "I _have_ , actually, I just choose not to use it. I never claimed I was a "nice" person. I only use manners to those who deserve it, and so far..." I knit my eyebrows together, tiling my head at her thoughtfully. "You haven't done anything to warrant my respect."

This situation really did feel familiar. Hauntingly familiar. Black hair and blue eyes... am I being reminded of Fujita Sakura? I don't even recall what she looked like, but... maybe this girl resembled her a little? Fujita... she attacked me because of Ichijou... didn't she? And now I was being harassed because I spent the day with Shiki. Am I not allowed to talk to other people or something?

I could have sworn I saw her eyes flash red, but before I knew it a sharp pain struck across my right cheek and my head was turned at an angle. Somehow, despite her petite and slender frame, she had enough to strength to send me flying, my back hitting the wall. I slid down after landing, my knees hitting the floor.

"Learn your place!" She shouted, lips curling back. Red specks danced in her sapphire eyes; a color I found utmost beautiful yet the combination more deadly than anything at this moment. Dark crimson coated her fingers, her sharp nails having sliced the skin on my cheek when she had backhanded me. "You're just a human! You have no right to be here!"

I could taste iron, part of my lip having busted, and I prodded my tongue against the injury curiously before I raised my gaze to look up at her. My heart was pounding; I knew I was terrified. But instead of bursting out into tears and freaking out about having been _slammed against the wall and injured_ I just found the whole situation rather interesting. "Of course I'm human," I told her, blinking. I grinned, ignoring the pain it brought to my face. "That's what makes life so interesting. I don't know what I'd be if I _wasn't_ human."

She stared at me confused when I said that, my words startling her and taking an odd turn in her thought process. Clearly she wasn't expecting me to be so passive about the whole thing. I brought a hand up to my lip, pressing my index and middle fingers lightly against it, and winced a little as I pulled it away.

"Dude, you're really strong. Are you sure you're a model? You could be a weightlifting beauty or something! Jeez." I laughed, before struggling to push myself up. The world spun and I almost fell over, wrapping one arm around my stomach and clamping the other over my mouth as I nearly threw up. I stood there for a moment, remaining leaning over until the nausea went mostly away. I couldn't focus that well, but this was better than nothing.

It was at that moment the door opened.

...

Eliza looked at Ichijou with hard eyes, determined to make him understand. He can try and justify that being in Irene's life would be difficult for her, especially since he'd have to go on keeping his true self hidden from her, but what better time for Irene to learn the truth than now? Eliza's been hiding it from Irene for five years now; if the girl truly wanted to keep pursuing a friendship with Ichijou then she _needed_ to know.

But in order to make them become friends again Eliza needed to convince Ichijou to actually speak to Irene. The girl should at the very least recognize him, even if she didn't remember who he was. It may be painful on him to be near her, but Eliza had faith. Maybe a little too much, considering she's only known Ichijou for little over a month, but he appeared to have quite good self-control. Unlike Aidou and a few other Vampires, the green-eyed blond genuinely didn't want to harm others and held compassion for both races.

Even if he was longing for her blood, she doubted he'd bite her. Not unless she said he could. The young female Vampire still hated the thought of some rude, crass Vampire attacking Irene and drinking her blood, but she knew that if Irene found out the truth about them and that the blood tablets just weren't enough for Ichijou anymore... the girl would probably offer herself up in a heartbeat.

"I _know_ you're hurting," Eliza continued, voice trembling just slightly, but she remained calm and spoke clearly. "And I know... that you're thirsty. You're scared that if you go near her... you'll lose control, aren't you?" Irene is always getting hurt. Always bleeding. God, Eliza could only imagine how stressful that must have been on him, how it _must_ still be stressful for him.

Eliza stepped forward, grabbing onto Ichijou's sleeves and narrowing her eyes up at him. He watched with wide eyes, completely frozen stiff as she spoke. Eliza had hit right on the nail.

"But what's the price of that... compared to the suffering you two are currently going through? _This..._ whatever is going on now... _isn't worth it_. Remembering will be painful, sure, but Irene is stubborn, Upperclassman Ichijou. Whether you want her to or not, she _will_ remember. And when she does..." Eliza released him, but not before poking him roughly in the chest with a finger. "She is going to hunt. You. _Down._ And Skylar and I will help her do it. And you know why she will?"

"...Wh-Why?" He stammered, surprised. Eliza smirked, stepping back and crossing her arms over her chest. "Why... would Irene want to remember?" Why... does that girl keep trying so hard to cling onto the memories of him?

Crying, curled into a ball on the floor... choking on her tears as she tried to recall his name. She held onto him so tightly, as if he were a lifeline, and had been searching so deep into his eyes for answers...

Ichijou closed his eyes, balling his hands up into fists when he felt them start to shake. _She can do so much better than me... I-Irene-Chan will be better off with a friend that can roam around freely in the daylight. Someone brighter..._ Yet why, no matter how hard he tried to convince himself, did he find it so difficult to accept? Always so outgoing, but still so timid and shy. _I don't want to let her go._ Ichijou had been willing to face Kaname's wrath if only to keep her beside him. She was his friend. And, now that he felt more than that, all Ichijou wanted to do was run away.

Eliza was right about him being scared. If Irene remembered who he was and she found out about the secret, Kaname would most certainly try to erase her memories again. And if Irene put up another fight like she had done with Seirin, Ichijou wasn't sure if he'd have the strength to finish the job a second time.

 _I said I wouldn't let harm come to you..._ He promised himself, Eliza, _and_ Irene. After Fujita Sakura had attacked Irene the first time, he decided he'd do his best to protect her. She was just a frail, human being after all. Always so easily hurt... it was ridiculous at how accident-prone she was. But... it was an accident happening that allowed them to meet, wasn't it? _If I didn't catch that paper... what would be happening right now?_

He supposed he wouldn't have allowed himself to give in and drink from Shiki, and he supposed he wouldn't have broken one of his favorite tea sets. Skylar wouldn't have gotten angry and attacked him, and he and Kaname wouldn't be fighting right now. It's amazing what one person can do to affect someone's life so much. Just one simple human... and her two best friends.

"Because she cares," Eliza finally answered, snapping Ichijou out of his thoughts. She pulled her hand away, looking up at him with a soft expression. "Irene is extremely loyal to those she cares about, Upperclassman Ichijou. And you made your way into that circle, which means that if there's even the slightest possibility of remembrance Irene will latch onto it and work as hard as she can to recall you."

Will she then...? Will she remember who he is? Maybe Shiki was right. Ichijou _should_ just talk to Irene. The ache in his chest might go away if he does... The blond raised a hand up and pressed it over his right eye, fingers digging and twisting into his hair. _The ache will go away, but if I spend anymore time with her my hunger will become unbearable..._ Does he really want to risk losing control? He already had a breakdown because of it. Ichijou almost drained Shiki dry...

Without realizing his hand had lowered to his throat, fingers wrapping lightly around it. "If Irene-Chan remembers me," He spoke quietly, gazing off into the distance, "I'll speak to her. But not a day before." Ichijou's eyes then widened, a thought suddenly hitting him. Shiki had been so insistent upon him speaking to Irene, and Ichijou hadn't seen Shiki all day. The redhead even told him he'd be spending it sleeping.

Did... Shiki _lie_ to him? Was Shiki meeting with Irene right now!? No, but she's supposed to be in class! But... her scent in the direction of the school is dim...

Ichijou started Eliza by suddenly walking off, heading down the stairs and towards the front doors. He heard her call out "Upperclassman" in confusion, the girl following, but Ichijou paid no mind. He pushed open the doors and walked out, hissing at the brightness of the sun, and walked until he made it to the spot where the scent was clearest.

The school gate.

"Shiki," Ichijou breathed, horror dawning across his features. Eliza ran up, stopping beside him and looking at him in confusion before she followed his gaze, staring out into the direction that led out into the town. "What have you done?" The scent of lavender and honey hit his nose and Ichijou gasped, feeling as if he had just gotten punched in the chest.

His throat burned, red tainting his vision, and next thing he knew he was on the ground breathing heavily and gasping, a hand wrapped around his throat as he coughed and wheezed. His hunger hit him at full force, his stomach twisting and churning and feeling like it was trying to eat itself from the inside out.

Even from so far away he could smell her, the scent of her blood far too powerful and addictive to ignore. He had always thought it had a sweet smell, not too strong and not too weak, but now...

He dug his fingers into the grass, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as Eliza knelt down beside him and started rubbing a hand comfortingly on his back. _I want..._ He could feel his fangs threatening to protrude out of his mouth, his lips curling back. _No. No!_ How disgusting was he? She was his friend... Ichijou was _not_ going to eat Irene. He wasn't... going to sink his fangs into that frail... soft neck...

The smell of fruit hit his nose and Ichijou promptly turned his head away when Eliza offered her wrist to him, having bit down on the limb and causing herself to bleed. Ichijou... can deal with this. _If Kaname had to live all these years with this pain... surely I can handle it myself?_ Granted, Kaname was by far _way_ older than Ichijou was in human years. He had experience. But... it didn't mean it hurt any less.

Even if the bloodtablets won't satisfy him, and even if other real blood won't help, Ichijou _will_ get through this. If by some chance Shiki's plans work and Irene does remember who he is... he wants to be ready. Ichijou wants to make sure he won't harm Irene. He _refuses_ to cause her anymore pain than he already has. And if that means he has to continually starve himself to do so... so be it.

...

I stared in surprise as Shiki and Rima walked out into the hallway, their gazes focusing on the blood coloring my face and the girl who had attacked me. I shakily stood up, trying to pretend I was fine when I wasn't. I gave a painful grin and waved nervously. They aren't going to say anything about this... are they?

To my surprise it was _Rima_ who acted first. I flinched at the loud noise of skin hitting skin, my face aching at the familiar sound, and tentatively opened my eyes to see the blacked-haired beauty standing there still as Rima retracted her hand. Then, without a word, the ginger turned straight around and walked towards me.

I yelped when she grabbed my sleeve, her nose scrunching up in disgust at the smell and feel of the wet fabric, and I stumbled after her. Shiki watched us for a moment before looking at the aggressive model and shaking his head. The girl stiffened, knowing very well he had heard the whole conversation, and actually looked ready to cry. My last thought as Rima forced me to follow her was about how heartbroken the girl looked, making me wish I had at the very least asked for her name. I feel like she, more than anyone else, just really needed a good hug.

Rima dragged me along the hallways, Shiki following so silently I had to keep reminding myself he was there, and I was forced to stop when she quit walking. I stumbled over my feet, struggling not to crash into her back, and blinked when her fingers were suddenly lifting my chin up. Her electric blue eyes focused on my busted lip, flickering over to my cheek and back again. "What a disgrace... a model should know better than to injure another girl's face."

Shiki just closed his eyes at her words. I blinked in confusion.

"And the stench is awful... lemonade _and_ the tablets?" She shook her head, pulling her hand away. "Whatever." Rima stood up straight and placed a hand on her hip, looking down at me. Maybe I was just oddly short, but... why are so many of these Japanese people turning out to be so tall? Japanese are supposed to be short, too...

Rima, Souen... even Shiki, Ichijou, and that tall ginger man. Kaien and the silver-haired prefect, too! Kiryuu... Zero?

"I don't have any extra clothes on me," Rima muttered underneath her breath, thinking aloud. "But you're already ill..."

"...The manager can take us to a store." Shiki supplied helpfully, voice completely monotone as he spoke. I looked at him in alarm, then up at Rima, and stepped back with my hands up in the air defensively. W-Were they seriously...? No. No way. Dude, they barely even know me! Why would they go so far?

_Why did... Rima slap that girl?_

She even said we weren't friends... I don't understand. This doesn't make any sense. Why were they being so overly nice to me? "I-I'm okay," I stammered, voice small and squeaking nervously. Their gazes were piercing, but instead of hard and scrutinizing like before they were now softer, accepting even. "I-It's just a scratch. I-I mean, I've never busted a lip before, so that's certainly interesting; hurt more than I thought it would," I rambled, bringing a hand to my mouth, "but I'm fine. Th-Thank you, though." I gave a weak smile, grateful for their concern.

Rima shook her head at me. "You're not going to wear those clothes for the rest of the day. I understand... why Ichijou-San wanted to stay by you so much now." I blinked and carefully lowered my hands, confused. "You are... indifferent to the things around you. You don't care who it is you speak to." She lowered her head, going silent for a moment. Rima then lifted her head, locking her gaze on my surprised one. "Back in the car you were remembering Ichijou-San, weren't you? And when that girl was yelling at you... you stood there and took it. You don't care that Shiki and I are models... that we're Night Class. Your friend, Ferret-San... you genuinely care about her. And... knowing this, after thinking about it..." She frowned, stepping forward. I blinked when she stopped in front of me, staring up at the 5'5 model. "I've decided you aren't that bad... for a Day Class student."

"R-Rima-San..." I stared at her with big eyes, unable to believe what it was I was hearing. I made to bite my bottom lip, but upon the spike of pain that went through the appendage I flinched and changed my mind, instead lacing my fingers together in front of me and running my thumb across my knuckles. I felt warm; a happy kind of warm that I hadn't felt in a long while.

M-Maybe... even if it's just for a short while... we can be friends?

"Y-You... You're a really good person, too!" Rima and Shiki looked partially surprised at my outburst. I was shaking, though if it was from being sick or from embarrassment I didn't know. A shy, but bright smile spread across my face as I nervously spoke up. "Y-You and Sh-Shiki-San!"

I swallowed down the lump forming in my throat when I realized how loud I said that.

H-Hopefully I didn't screw up the pronunciation... O-Oh god, what if I just cursed them out or something? N-No. No, be calm. You got this, Irene. I reached a hand up and rubbed at my neck, pulling and fiddling a little bit with the shorter strands of my undercut. I held my ground and their stares, refusing to back away. I wanted to show my gratitude and... this was the best time to do it, right? E-Even if it's a little awkward...

"I-I know you're only helping me b-because of Ichijou-Kun... b-but still. You-You don't have to go out of your way to do all this. S-So... th-thank you." I looked at them gratefully, smiling warmly at them. Rima and Shiki, while intimidating, are actually very nice people. I blinked away some of the tears trying to form, only to bring my hands up and press them against my eyes when they actually started to burn furiously. I still had yet to recover and- _oh god!_ It burns! It burns, it burns!

I rubbed frantically, but the pain only got worse and worse as some of the lemonade juice from my uniform got in my eyes.

"Shiki," Rima ordered, forcing me to stop rubbing at my eyes as she grabbed my wrists. "Water." The redhead nodded and walked off, and I bit back a whimper at the intense pain. _I-It hurts..._ "It's a wonder how Ichijou-San survived you getting hurt all the time..." I choked, so lightheaded and pained I felt I was going to faint. "Stop crying."

"B... But it hurts," I protested, having to bite the words out. My voice cracked. "I-I don't-"

Cold liquid hit my face and I yelped, but next thing I knew Rima was forcing my eyes open while pouring the icy water into my brown orbs. I whined loudly for a moment before clamping my mouth shut and grinding my teeth together, doing my best to ignore the taste of iron and the shaking in my legs. I chanted to myself silently that I was okay, that it didn't hurt, but... _Jesus Christ! Owwww!_

Seeing as I was already sopping wet and sticky from when the model had splashed me earlier, it didn't really bother me when I got water and blood from my injuries on my uniform. Rima pulled away and I retracted quickly, squinting and blinking roughly as I waited for most of the stinging to go away, keeping my hands curled to my chest to stop myself from rubbing my eyes again. Thankfully, the pain did go away. My eyes just felt sore from being so puffy and swollen. I sniffled, choking out a small "thank you" to them and an apology.

Rima just shrugged. Shiki yawned. My body felt heavy.

It was only by sheer willpower that I made through the elevators and down the flights of stairs, passing out only after we reached the car. Shiki had me sit in the middle again, I being the shortest out of the three of us, and the moment my head leaned back against the seat everything went dark.

...

Pain wracked every part of his body, his throat so parched it felt like he had been wandering in the desert for days, and his stomach twisted and turned so bad he felt like he was going to dry up and turn into ashes, the pain almost too great for him to bear. His fingers gripped the edge of the sink tightly, his body convulsing as he choked on the tablets that refused to go down his throat.

Zero hacked, coughing so severely pain wracked his ribs. He spat and wheezed and choked, throwing up all he had to offer until the wretched blood tablets finally dislodged from his throat. He gasped, chest heaving up-and-down heavily as sweat dripped down from his chin. Red coated his entire vision, his lilac orbs shining a brilliant crimson. His legs felt weak, and though he had stripped down to his white blouse his body still felt like it was on fire, his entire being crying out for the blood of the humans residing ever-so innocently within the school's classrooms.

Zero's whole body suddenly jerked, his ears catching the sound of footsteps as a familiar scent hit his nose. _Yuuki..._ He then scowled, recalling a certain purple-haired American that loved to cause him trouble. If Yuuki was nearby, Skylar probably was as well. She could probably sense him, but if she saw him still in this state...

The male prefect practically collapsed in his attempt to pick his uniform vest and blazer off the ground, stumbling to one of the co-ed bathroom stalls. Breathing was difficult, and as the scent of Human filled his senses he found his instincts screaming at him and his brain and heart fighting it.

 _I-I'm not..._ Blood. Zero needed blood. _Badly_. But... he won't give in. He wasn't like _them._ Zero was not a beast. He was a hunter and, first and foremost, human. He choked and soon went into a round of painful coughs, slamming into the stall and his side crashing against the wall. He brought a hand up to his mouth, covering it with both hands as he dropped his clothes at his feet. _So hungry..._

He weakly reached out, only able to close the door to the stall before his hand went limp. His teeth were ground so tightly together it hurt, and as Yuuki entered the bathroom to search for him it took all his self-control not to burst out and grab her, the beast inside wanting him to drink her blood until there was nothing left. "Zero? Zero, are you in here? You can't keep skipping class like this!"

Her footsteps echoed around and Zero leaned his head back, squeezing his eyes tightly shut as they burned. _Go away..._ Please. Please, just leave him alone. _I don't... want to hurt you. Y-Yuuki..._ So parched. So dry. So _thirsty_. A small grin started to spread across his face, hand reaching out to the handle. _Blood... give it-_ He froze, barely stopping himself from giving away his position.

Horror pierced him like a knife to the chest, disgust and self-loathing washing over and practically drowning him in it. He brought his hand back, covering his face with it as his glowing red eyes widened in fear. He... He _wanted_ to harm Yuuki. He wanted to grab her and drink her dry. Zero almost... _No! I won't!_

He wasn't like them! He wasn't a bloodthirsty beast! He's Kiryuu Zero, a Hunter and a _Human_. He will not... H-He will not... break.

 _I want to die._ He thought, fingers twitching to pull out the Bloody Rose gun he had hidden in his vest. It would be so easy; one bullet to the brain and he'd be nothing but dust. He can try and fool himself all he wants; he was going to become a Level-E in no time. _I'm so sorry... Yuuki._ His control was slipping. His sanity was waning. Within time, she'd certainly become one of his victims. _Just... stay away from me. Don't... come any closer._

"Just where is he...?" The young girl sounded disheartened, depressed at the disappearance of her foster brother. She rarely ever saw him anymore and he's been skipping classes and duties more often than ever. At this rate he was going to have to repeat the year, and he had already been held back once. "Zero... please be okay." She sighed.

Yuuki brought her hands up and hugged herself, lowering her head as she walked out of the room. They were supposed to be siblings, _friends_ even, but at this rate the distance she closed between them during the four years they lived together was just going to become a great big gap once more. _Jeez..._ she thought, biting the inside of her cheek in a mixture of annoyance and worry. _What is he doing at a time like this?_

Once she was gone Zero moved, but only to change the way he was sitting. He clawed at his throat, gazing into the distance with hazy eyes as beads of sweat dripped down his forehead and down his neck. His silver hair clung to his face, sticky and wet and gross.

"Don't..." He gasped, voice raspy and pained. It cracked, his words breaking as the tears burned his eyes, "Don't come any closer..." 


	17. A Giving Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichijou finally decides to confront Kaname, and Shiki and Rima force Irene into clean clothes.

My fainting spell didn't last for very long, as within the next ten to fifteen minutes I woke feeling wide awake and in a panic. My eyes shot open and I gasped, sitting up in alarm and breathing heavily as I looked around frantically. _Wh-Where am I!? What's going on?_ O-Oh god, was it already time to wake up for school? What time is it? Where am-

I stared with big eyes at the two models sitting on either side of me, the two looking semi-surprised at my reaction and to see me awake. "R-Rima-San? Sh-Shiki-San?" I choked out, breathless and confused. I blinked away the tears stinging my eyes and brought a hand up, ready to rub at my eyes, when a hand shot out and latched around my wrist to stop me. I looked at Rima with knitted eyebrows.

"Don't." Was all she said. At her words I tentatively lowered my hands, at a loss, before realizing what she meant when I looked down at myself. My uniform was still damp and...

I scrunched my nose up at the stench, disgusted, and promptly started to untie the lazy knot of a bow in order to remove my blazer. I had a white blouse underneath, so I wouldn't really be bothered that much except for the cold. At least _that_ part of my uniform wasn't completely soaked...

I had to lean forward awkwardly to pull the black-and-white striped blazer, and folded it as neatly as I could with the bow on top before setting it on my lap. I winced every time I moved, my back aching in multiple places and my face feeling like it had been sent through a blender. I could hear the manager ranting, talking about how Rima and Shiki explained what had happened to me and that she couldn't believe the audacity the model had to attack me, and I tried to pay attention.

My mind was just so elsewhere-I couldn't focus. Everything was a blurry mess. A lot of memories were coming to the surface, but at the same time there was something I knew-something I didn't want to acknowledge. Shiki was right when he said I was scared earlier; there was a very strange thing going on with some of the people I've been encountering. Signs and hints... physical attributes.

I knew something was... well, not necessarily _wrong_ just... out of the ordinary? Maybe I was just hallucinating, but... I know what I saw. What I witnessed. I brought a hand up to my mouth, fingers lightly pressing against my busted lip, and I flinched. The bleeding seemed to have stopped for the most part, thankfully, but it still felt extremely swollen and sore.

 _They all have such long canines..._ Shiki, Rima, that model, and... Ichijou. Ichijou definitely had sharp teeth. Fangs, even. The vermillion in green and the red glowing in that girl's blue eyes... The model had looked so slim and fragile, yet had been so strong she was not only able to slam me into the wall, but bust my bottom lip open with the sheer strength of her slap. _Am I looking too much into it?_

God, there was something else. I remember... arguing. Lots of it. Not between me, but between... Skylar? Zero?

Something akin to fear started to race in my veins at that thought. I had the sensation of standing in a forest, frightened beyond all reason, a-and there was... someone... holding me in place. G-Grabbing my wrist and...

I was unable to recall _who_ the memory was about, as I snapped out of it when Rima held an object out of my face. I blinked and looked at it in confusion, seeing it was some kind of object wrapped in a towel, and pulled my hand away from my neck- _when had I placed my hand there?-_ to grab it. I looked up at the girl, tiling my head as I didn't understand what it was for. It felt cold... an ice pack maybe?

"It's for your lip," She clarified, seeing me blink multiple times at her expectantly. My mouth opened and my eyes grew wide in realization.

"O-Oh. Th-Thank you..." When did they pick this up? Had to be only a few minutes ago... Rima and Shiki really are nice people, aren't they? I gingerly pressed the ice pack against my busted lip, wincing at how hot the muscle felt against the cold cloth. I looked at the orange-haired teen out of the corner of my eye, seeing how she was leaning against the car door with her hand propped between her face and the window, and then flickered my gaze over to Shiki who appeared completely out of it.

He must be completely drained... if he works during the day for modeling and then has classes at night, when does he ever sleep? I quickly grew alarmed, realizing that if this was his day off then he really _should_ be spending it sleeping. Instead he was here with me, trying to help me remember.

A wave of guilt washed over me, making me feel even worse about myself, and I leaned towards the front seats to talk to the woman manager. "Um... wh-where are we going?" I asked her nervously, talking as quietly as I could in an attempt to not disturb Shiki and Rima as I knew they needed their sleep. "Are we heading back to the Academy or-"

"Rima and Shiki-Kun said they wanted to go shopping," She explained, flashing me a small smile before focusing on the road once more. "For someone who is just an "acquaintance" they're going really far distances for you, you know? You must be _really_ close to that Ichijou-San, huh?"

I faltered at her words, deflating slightly, and tried my best to ignore the pain welling up inside of my chest. All those memories of him... were happy ones. They were good memories. _And this pain that I feel..._ I leaned back into my seat, ignoring the pair of stone-colored eyes I knew that were on me as I slumped my shoulders in despair. _Surely if it hurts this much, they have to be real?_

The manager blinked when I didn't respond, the woman's eyes flickering up to the rearview mirror to glance at me worriedly. "T-Terrier-San?"

"I guess we were." I mumbled, thinking about the one person who had been taking up the entirety of my thoughts since I "first encountered" him in the Headmaster's office. I tried to recall his face in exact detail, every curve and line and faint freckle, but the only thing I could get a clear enough image of was his smile and intoxicating green eyes. _I... want to see that smile again. In person._

To... see him laugh. To hold his hand. I mean, I did before, didn't I? I-I...

 _Oh Jesus, brain, what are you doing?_ I could feel my lips twitching in embarrassment and humiliation at my weird thoughts and I was suddenly very grateful for the towel-wrapped-ice pack that was covering most of my face. I was such an idiot. _No bad thoughts! You don't even_ _know_ _what your relationship was. Okay?_

I resisted the intense urge to lean my head back and groan, knowing full well Shiki was still watching me inquiringly and probably trying to piece together was going on in my mind at that moment. I just hoped my face wasn't too red...

...

He tapped his knuckles against the door lightly, hitting the wood multiple times in a repeated rhythm until a voice finally spoke up, telling him to come in. Ichijou's green eyes narrowed in response, but remained quiet as he pushed the door open gently. In his right hand he clutched his medicine case tightly, knitting his eyebrows as he frowned at the male resting lazily on the red sofa in the middle of the room.

Kaname's eyes opened slowly, the garnet-colored orbs flickering and resting on the blond expectantly. "Are you finally done giving me the silent treatment... Takuma?" The blond closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, before opening them and smiling lightly at Kaname.

Stepping into the room, he closed the door carefully behind him. "I suppose that was a bit childish of me... but you are at fault too, you know." Kaname turned his head away, refusing to look at him as he draped a hand over his face tiredly. Ichijou narrowed his eyes, but he soon relaxed his tense shoulders and took a few steps closer before stopping, ten feet away from the sofa, and straightened his back. He laced his fingers behind him. Ichijou's face, while stern, was smiling. His green orbs held a tint of anger. "What you did was unnecessary," He told him firmly.

Kaname remained silent for a long moment, but didn't bother moving his hand as he spoke. "...Are you scolding me?" He asked him quietly, inquiring with just the slightest undertone of a threat.

Ichijou's eyes widened at that, his mouth parting slightly in his surprise. The blond gave a light chuckle as he lowered his head and tilted it to the side, eyes flittering halfway shut as his angry smile became sad. "I... suppose I am," He admitted guiltily. "My apologies."

There was a long moment of silence before Kaname sighed, shifting and pushing himself up until he was in a sitting position. His dark hair, while a total mess from having not brushed it, fell into his face with a strange aura of perfection. The dark chocolate curls tickled his face, brushing against his vibrant garnet eyes and complimenting his pale skin nicely.

Kaname gazed at Ichijou with a frown, eyes almost lifeless if not knowing, and his expression was serious. Slowly, deliberately, he raised a hand up in front of him. "Come here, Takuma," he requested, and watched as the blond hesitated.

It was clear the only child of the Ichijou-family was still mad at him for his actions, and the Pureblood honestly couldn't blame him, but Kaname knew what had to be done. Ichijou's feet reluctantly moved forward, and the blond stopped in front of him with closed eyes. His smile dropped as he stared at Kaname's outstretched palm and he placed the medicine case into his hand.

Kaname calmly opened it open with one hand, sliding the case open with his thumb, and not an ounce of surprise showed on his face as he looked at the incredible lack of blood tablets. "I was too lenient in my endeavor, it seems." He muttered quietly, closing it. Ichijou seemed to flinch at his words and would have recoiled if it weren't for the fact he had his feet rooted into place.

The blond's eyebrows knitted together, a part of him almost feeling ashamed for the way he was devouring the tablets so greedily and constantly. His hunger had gotten so bad that even after taking so many tablets and drinking from Shiki to the point where the male could no longer stand, Eliza had tried to offer her wrist in order to help satiate him. He refused, obviously, not wanting to hurt anyone else, but... _her_ scent was driving him mad.

Despite how faint it was due to her being so far away and off campus, his sensitive nose had been able to pick up on it. When Ichijou had left the dorm earlier upon the realization that Shiki had lied to him, and the scent of Irene's blood had hit his nose... it took everything he had not to go chasing after it.

When has Ichijou ever been so weak? He's supposed to be an aristocrat, a nobleman. A Vampire with _self-control._ In all his years he never could have imagined things would have come to this. Ichijou was slipping faster than he could react, and he knew if things kept up he might just have to start isolating himself from others. A Vampire's thirst has always been a dangerous thing, but to this extent...?

Just thinking about it made his throat parched. He brought a hand up, rubbing at his neck as he fought against a dry cough. He was still so hungry... Ichijou was _starving_. No matter how much he drank or how many blood tablets he takes _they weren't enough._ He understood those poor unfortunate souls that got turned by the whims of a cruel Pureblood, who went mad at the slightest scent of blood, and the compassion and sorrow he held for them was even stronger than ever now. Sadly, that compassion would do nothing to help with his current situation, and he tried to divert himself from the thoughts of the one person who could bring him relief.

He wondered about Kiryuu Zero instead, who was so close to the transition of going mad himself. At this rate Ichijou was going to end up just like him and, in all honesty, he wasn't looking forward to the kind of punishment Kaname will probably enforce upon him if he does snap. For while their thirsts were for two different reasons, it was enough to drive any sane person crazy.

Taking a deep, shaky breath Ichijou met Kaname's gaze, unaffected by the glare sent his way at his next words. "You miscalculated," Ichijou bluntly told him, a bitter smile spreading across his face. The blond felt a mixture of pain and amusement at the annoyance the Pureblood was feeling, as while he hated arguing with his best friend he also enjoyed teasing him and making him angry. He took a bit of pleasure in Kaname's annoyance, which while was greatly childish helped calm Ichijou's own rage.

If Kaname hadn't ordered Seirin to erase Irene's memories would they even be in this situation right now? Perhaps Irene would have learned the secret, perhaps she would have even _accepted_ him, and perhaps she might have even let him drink from her... or, in a more unfavorable outcome, perhaps she would have been so terrified she wouldn't even be able to speak to him, nonetheless look at his face?

His heart shattered at the thought and his fingers twitched, slowly curling into fists as they started to shake. He knew she wouldn't be afraid, she wasn't someone who judged others so harshly, but the thought was painful nonetheless. "If you were going to take away Irene-Chan's memories," Ichijou continued, voice low with a strained smile, "you really should have done so sooner. Just look at this mess, Kaname. You, who hate unexpected players. You, who acquire all his pawns into one place and move them according to his will. _You_ , who have made a grave miscalculation. Just what do you have to say for yourself?"

Neither of their gazes faltered, level and cool, and both burning with a silent fire that threatened to consume the world around them. Both were angry, both were concerned, and both were upset. Unfortunately, both were too prideful to admit it.

"Kaname," Ichijou continued, expression hardening as his smile dropped to a deep frown, "I have _always_ stood beside you. I have _always_ been there as your friend. But this... I can _not_ agree to it. I won't stand for it. And I won't ever forgive you unless you tell me _why_. What made her such a threat? From the beginning you were against my speaking with her, and I know you were greatly displeased when I went and visited her at the Headmaster's place all those times." He placed a hand against his chest and over his heart, and looked down at the Pureblood with a pleading expression. His eyes were burning with red, his emerald orbs glowing crimson with emotion and hunger. "If you had known this was going to happen why didn't you try harder to stop me? Why did you wait so long!?"

"...I wanted you to understand..." Kaname said softly, finally speaking. Ichijou blinked, startled, and went silent in his shock. The Pureblood remained forever serious, little emotion showing on his face, but his voice was gentle as he spoke. "The thirst that only a loved one can quench..." Kaname dropped the medicine kit purposefully onto the ground, reaching up with his hand towards Ichijou's neck, "is the most painful thirst of all."

Fingers gripped the collar of his button-up and Ichijou gasped as he was forcefully yanked down, knocked onto one knee so he was closer to Kaname's height. "K-Kaname, what are you-!?" Ichijou shut his mouth and inhaled sharply, the Pureblood forcing Ichijou's face near his neck as he gripped tightly onto his blond locks. Ichijou's breathing got heavy, able to hear the blood pulsing through the man's neck. His pure, clean blood...

Ichijou choked, his whole body right down to his very bones screaming with hunger. It hurt so much he couldn't breathe, his breathing labored and shallow. His hands were trembling as they slowly reached up and gripped tightly onto Kaname's shoulders, his breath ghosting hotly across the flesh of Kaname's slender neck. Ichijou could only see crimson at this point, his hunger trying to get the best of him.

He _needed_ blood. So... so badly...

Ichijou wasn't even able to think anymore as his tongue started to run across Kaname's neck, all logic being thrown out the window as his instincts cried out to him. This was a Pureblood... a Vampire with one of the most desired bloods of all. It was so rare, so precious, so _pure_ and untainted, and...

His eyes snapped open, Ichijou finally breaking out of the spell, and he made to yank himself away. Unfortunately, Kaname was much stronger than he. The brunette tightened his hold on Ichijou's hair and the blond flinched, pulling and tugging on the cloth of Kaname's shirt in response as his body tore itself apart from the inside.

"You need to drink, Takuma," Kaname told him. His eyes were solemn. "I didn't want to force you... but I didn't want you to go through this either. My blood will satiate you... but only for a short while."

"I-I can't," Ichijou bit out, fangs threatening to protrude from his lips. Ichijou wheezed, sweat beading down the sides of his face, and before he knew it he collapsed against the Pureblood, panting heavily as he rested his forehead against Kaname's shoulders. "I... I know how thirsty you are for Yuuki-Chan's blood, Kaname; I-I can't... I don't want to make it any worse-"

_"Drink."_

Eyes squeezed so tightly shut the blond reluctantly lifted himself up, opening his scarlet orbs and staring in a mixture of defeat and greed at the Pureblood's slender neck. He was unable to protest anymore, Kaname using his authority over him to make him obey. Ichijou was spared no mercy, the blond being forced to lower his mouth to Kaname's neck and to bite down, digging his fangs into the rich flesh.

The thick liquid gushed into his mouth, sweeter and more wonderful than anything he's ever tasted. Ichijou knew his friendship with the Pureblood probably had a lot to do with the taste as well, aside from the quality and rarity his blood was, and was well aware of the fact that if his grandfather _ever_ found out about this he would probably go mad with jealousy and try to skin him alive. Ichijou's grandfather had been after Kaname's blood for years, and if he ever learned that Kaname had given it to the blond instead of _him_ , then...

He shuddered to think about it. To his surprise, however, Kaname's blood _was_ helping fill him. He suspected it had to do with the fact that it was not only a Pureblood's blood, but the blood of an ancient. The man he was drinking from is one of the oldest Vampires in existence, selfish and lazy and manipulative to a fault, but... also incredible lonely.

Even now he could feel it; Ichijou could _taste_ how bad Kaname wanted it to be Yuuki drinking from him. How bad the Pureblood wanted to bite her and devour her, and let her do the same to him. Such a broken soul...

Ichijou swallowed in huge gulps, hungry beyond measure, and pressed his tongue against the flesh to urge it to gush out faster. He brought his hands up, tangling his fingers into Kaname's hair as he dug his fangs deeper into his neck. The Pureblood tilted his head back, craning his neck to give Ichijou more access.

As he drank more he started to calm down, trying to ignore the memories rushing through his mind. There was so much for him to see, yet so much he knew he should not. Unfortunately, drinking another's blood was something intimate as it was a conduit into their thoughts and feelings. The more you drink the more you see. And Ichijou was already taking so much...

Oddly enough, Kaname's blood reminded him of Shiki. It had that same kind of rich tang to it... something that should only happen if the two Vampires were related. That wouldn't make sense though, as Shiki never knew his father. Kaname certainly never sired any children either except so long ago in the past, which started the whole Kuran bloodline.

Unfortunately, due to events ten years ago, Kaname was the only Kuran left once more. Ichijou could see the memories of the attack flashing through his mind; his "father's" death, his "mother's" sacrifice... He had been told all the details, but never before had he seen it in such vivid detail. That white, snowy night coated in red...

"You're delving too deep, Takuma," Kaname murmured, loosening his hold as his blood was drained. "You really were starving, weren't you...?"

Ichijou pried his fangs out of Kaname's neck with a gasp, the blood dripping down his chin and onto his neck, coating his clothes and staining them both. The blond had made yet another mess, but this time he didn't really care. There was so much going on with his thoughts at the moment he just couldn't. Or maybe it was because he was caring too much that it wasn't affecting him like it should?

Regardless, his red eyes looked at Kaname with an almost accusatory glare. He was breathless, and wasted no time in pushing Kaname onto his back on the sofa and climbing on top of him. "And... whose fault is that exactly?" He breathed, quickly leaning down to the side of Kaname's neck that hadn't been pierced. Kaname didn't let out an ounce of protest, just laying there as Ichijou straddled him, and laid limp in his hold.

 _Irene-Chan..._ Why couldn't this be her? Why couldn't it be _her_ blood he was drinking at this moment? His eyebrows knitted at the thought, guilt consuming him. It was probably for the best her memories had been erased, but... if Shiki's plans work... she'll remember him. Oh dear god, please let her remember him. The look on her face as he erased her memories was too painful to recall. He'd much rather see her smile at him again. _I want..._ His fingers pulled at Kaname's shirt, digging into his chest. _I want_ _her_ _._

Even if she was a threat. Even if she threatened to drive him to the brink of madness. The dark hair, the kind brown eyes, the innocent smile... that small, frail neck...

"...Takuma?" Kaname asked, staring at him with little emotion as the blond pulled away and sat up, wiping at his bloody mouth with the back of his hand. The blond was crying, the tears falling silently down his face as he struggled to lick the blood off of his fingers. Kaname didn't move, just watching quietly.

Throughout all the years he was beside him Kaname had never done him any wrong. Sure, he acted like he was going to kill him once or twice when he was mad, and while that scared him sometimes he knew Kaname would never seriously harm him. He loved teasing and riling Kaname up for that reason; he knows how to get reactions out of him and how to push his buttons. But this... this was just too cruel.

Because in the end... it was _Ichijou_ who had erased Irene's memories. Not Seirin. And while he never told Kaname that little tidbit, he knew full well the Pureblood was aware of it.

"I took so much," He choked, biting down on his trembling lip as he sprawled his fingers across his throat. "A-And yet... I'm still not that full." Maybe a decent quarter? It would be enough to last him two to three days without going too terribly crazy, but it still wouldn't work. As wonderful tasting as Kaname's blood was there was still something lacking. "I'm so hungry... Kaname, _why?_ Why am I so hungry?"

His brought his hands down onto Kaname's chest and slid them until he was leaning over and his arms were around Kaname's shoulders, Ichijou burying his face into Kaname's blood-coated neck.

" _Why?"_

He was never this weak. Ichijou was never this defeated. But he had never hurt so much before in his life. Kaname closed his eyes in response and lifted a hand up, placing it on the back of Ichijou's head and petting his hair gently for a few moments before just letting it rest there, letting his friend cry out all his frustrations. He's been holding it back for so long... a few tears may have escaped, but Ichijou never let himself have a release of all the pent of emotions.

They were probably there for a solid fifteen minutes, Ichijou having stopped crying after the first five and just resorting to lying there after a while. Kaname didn't push him away, but never said anything during it either. He just waited in silence for the blond to get it all out of his system and to calm down. After a while Ichijou finally pulled away, taking a deep breath, and chuckled as he wiped at his face.

His sleeves, his vest, his face and hair-it was all covered in Kaname's blood. The Pureblood himself wasn't any better off, but there wasn't much either could do about it. Their clothes were completely ruined and were going to have to be thrown away. Of course only _after_ they get cleaned up. On the bright side, most of the blood went into his stomach this time unlike with what happened with Shiki. "You're a mess," He laughed, looking down at his ancient friend.

Kaname just stared. Ichijou's grin faltered before broadening, the blond peeling himself away from Kaname only to have to tug on his shirt to detach itself from Kaname's due to the blood having started to dry and becoming sticky. He brushed his hair out of his face, letting out a complaint when he saw how nasty it was.

"Uwah~! I really went overboard, didn't I?" If he hadn't been involved with what just happened, Ichijou would have thought he accidentally blacked out and committed murder. He looked like a killer, or even the victim, at a crime scene. "I really do need to practice more..." He plucked at his vest, licking his lips, and made a face. "Are you alright, Kaname?"

"I'm fine..." The pureblood responded tiredly, closing his eyes as he brought his hands up to rest on his stomach. His garnet eyes glistened with red, hunger brought from the blood loss trying to take over. The man's restraint was something to be commended for, and Ichijou couldn't help but to feel a little envious at Kaname's ability to withstand the excruciating hunger. "It's yourself whom you should be concerned about."

At his words Ichijou tensed, before forcing himself to relax as he brought a hand up and stared at it. The blond could feel the power rushing through him, Kaname's pure blood running through his body and strengthening him by tenfold. A Vampire's hunger was a dangerous thing, but a hungry Vampire who had fed on a Pureblood was even more dangerous. A grim smile spread across Ichijou's lips, knowing full well that the outcome might not be a favorable one. "Maybe so. Say, Kaname... if Irene-Chan _were_ to remember who I was, what would you do?"

The brunette opened his eyes, looking at Ichijou out of the corner of his eye. His expression hardened. "Is this about Shiki?" A bitter chuckle escaped Ichijou at that, the blond having his suspicions confirmed right away.

"So you _did_ know about it. I only put the pieces together recently..."

He really shouldn't be surprised. Kaname knew about everything that went on with the Night Class, and if it had anything at all do with those he cared about he paid even more attention than normal. They were all just pieces in his chess game, but there were some pieces he couldn't afford to lose... Ichijou was one of them.

"I'm afraid Shiki has taken it into his hands to make Irene-Chan remember. I don't believe it will be possible, but he and Eliza-Chan... they both seem convinced. I haven't found Rima around anywhere, so I think she went with him. If by some chance Irene-Chan _does_ remember who I am... will it be alright for me to remain beside her?"

"...Are you really asking me to let you break the agreement?"

"I won't be drinking from her," He promised, though even he knew that he was lying. He didn't know if he _would_ drink from her or not; if his control starts slipping it might happen by total accident. But he was determined to remain her friend, and if his control _did_ start to slip Ichijou would barricade himself up away somewhere. "Even if it hurts, I'd rather be beside her then away from her. I can't keep running away like I am, Kaname."

The Pureblood sighed heavily at Ichijou's words, leaning his head back and bringing a hand tiredly up to his forehead. "You just don't know when to quit... Takuma, when in history have you ever heard of a Human harboring feelings so strong for a Vampire that even though it would break them apart inside, they'd fight to remember? Her entire _time_ in Japan had been erased. It's going to take more than a few words and familiar places to bring that lost time back."

"I... I know..." Ichijou mumbled, disheartened. His gaze lowered, the male looking down temporarily as he felt his heart ache painfully. Kaname's words hurt; it hurt him so deep it felt like someone had taken a knife to his chest. He just... if there was a chance she _could_ remember-no. No, Eliza and Shiki were being ridiculous. Ichijou shouldn't get his hopes up. "I just... she's really important to me. She's a good friend."

"...The "Day of the Dead" dance is coming up soon." Kaname suddenly spoke. Ichijou blinked, looking at him in surprise and confusion. His words had been so random they startled him. "If she remembers even the slightest memory about you... I'll permit you to invite her to the Moon Dorms for you to talk. But on the premise that I have my own conversation with the girl as well."

Ichijou's green eyes went so wide it was almost comical, his mouth opening slightly in shock and disbelief. "Y-You..." He would let him talk to her? No... "What are you going to say to her?" A surge of protectiveness flared up, similar to what he felt when she had been threatened by Fujita and when Kaname had tried to convince the Chairman to erase Irene's memories. It felt like such a long time ago...

"...Are you going to accept my proposal or not?"

Ichijou hesitated, fearful for her safety, and thought about it. He wanted to believe Kaname wouldn't cause any harm, but... it was hard. He had been against his and Irene's friendship from the very beginning. What if after Irene remembered him, Kaname would try to erase her memories all over again? Ichijou won't be able to live through that pain twice. After a long moment he hesitantly nodded. Any chance for her to remember was better than none. "Yes."

"Good." However disgusting Kaname's actions may seem... he does them for with everyone's best interest in mind. He didn't want to have to force Ichijou into anything; he didn't want to have to make him obey. Sadly, the Pureblood was quite selfish. "I was hoping you would have listened to me before, but... I should have known better."

Ichijou smiled at that, a truly genuine smile forming on his face. "When have I ever followed your orders, Kaname? I do things for you because I want to, not because you demand me to. Did my short absence those few days really make you forget that so quickly? I'm hurt." Though it wouldn't be obvious to most, Kaname was moping. He didn't like how disobedient Ichijou was being and the blond knew it.

Not giving Ichijou the honor of a response he just glared, the blond more than amused by the brunette's annoyance. Ichijou have him a cheeky grin in reply. After a few seconds the two were left in another silence. They had made-up, but it didn't mean they forgave one another.

After a solid three minutes Ichijou spoke up again, serious. "You haven't answered my question from earlier..." Kaname's eyes flickered over to him, the male still having not moved from his spot on the sofa. "When had you started to perceive Irene-Chan as a threat?" He waited, the patience of a saint keeping him rooted in place even when it went on to seem like Kaname would never respond. "Was it ever since you first saw her? When I first spoke to her? I at least... deserve to know that. Don't you agree?"   
  


"...I suppose it would only be fair."

A wave of relief washed over Ichijou and seeing that he was finally going to get his answers he relaxed, though a part of him still felt quite anxious. After a moment of silence Kaname started to explain. He spoke quietly, but Ichijou's Vampiric hearing helped him to pick up on the words.

"I had disregarded it at first," He began, chest rising and falling with calm breaths. "She didn't give me the impression of someone who would affect you so. But as time went on and you two began to interact, I started to see a change. Before I knew it, the white bishop had been ensnared by the black pawn. If things went on, the bishop would lose its place... its reasoning."

Ichijou's eyes flickered to the table near the window, a chessboard decorated with familiar playing pieces residing on top. He brought a hand up to his chin, crossing the other over his chest and propping his elbow up, and thought about Kaname's analogy. He presumed that meant he was the "white bishop" and Irene was the "black pawn"? Ichijou pondered over this before speaking up. "So you feared the bishop's loss of control?"

"He was fascinated by the pawn," Kaname continued, closing his eyes. He hooked his foot over his ankle, shifting a little to get a bit more comfortable. "Intrigued. That intrigue turned into obsession, and before long he found himself being dragged along a web... and without realizing, his affection for the lone pawn had grown into something dangerous. Takuma, when you spoke to the girl how often did you genuinely smile? Ever since her memory had been wiped, when was the last time you felt truly happy?"

"I'm... not sure," He answered honestly, knitting his eyebrows as he thought about it. His smiles had always been honest, but lately he had been forcing them more often than not in order to fool others. It became difficult to smile sometimes.

"Whatever Shiki plans to do with the human girl is of no concern to me," Kaname told him, "If he wants to foolishly try to regain her lost memories back, he can do so. But when that girl stood next to you, Takuma, do you know what I noticed?"

Ichijou stared down at him, confused and with a confliction of emotions welling up inside of him. "What?"

"...You never gave her a false smile."

Ichijou blinked multiple times, stunned. For a brief moment he thought he had misheard Kaname, but when the Pureblood said nothing more and just looked at him expectantly Ichijou realized he had not. "That is... well, of course not! Why on earth would I ever lie to-"

"You aren't listening, Takuma." He didn't speak again, instead leaving the blond to ponder on the thought. Ichijou stared at Kaname for a long while, thinking deeply about his words, and watched as the brunette yawned and settled deeper into the sofa. The Pureblood was exhausted.

_I never... gave Irene-Chan a false smile?_

He didn't understand; not in the way Kaname wanted him to. Ichijou was a polite person, his mother had raised him that way; she had a massive influence on his life that neither his father or grandfather had. Unlike them, he respected her greatly. Kind and always smiling, it was she who he took after while growing up. She made living with his grandfather easier with her visits, made going to the soirees much less painful than they would have been if she hadn't been there.

But... he didn't get it. Ichijou forced plenty of smiles in his years in order to be polite and to disguise pain, and even to tick off his elderly grandfather. He was almost always smiling, so when had-

_"A-Are you okay?"_

Oh. By "never giving a false smile" Kaname meant that Ichijou didn't try to hide his feelings. She could see through him, even without the memories, and as such Ichijou never had to lie to her. Just like Shiki and just like Kaname she could tell when he was hurting. The only thing he _had_ to lie to her about was his true nature as a Vampire, and he felt certain she already knew. She just never brought attention to it.

Her reluctance to make a scene out of anything was a blessing, but if she did remember and she recalled all those hints that she had ignored... what was he going to do? If Shiki's plan worked and Irene remembered, how exactly is he going to react? How is... How is _she_ going to react when she recalls that Ichijou was the one who erased her memory?

The guilt was crushing. If Irene _did_ by some chance forgive him and she approaches him, would he be able to hold himself back? Even with the pure blood rushing through his veins, he hadn't the slightest idea of what could happen. He's never had to deal with such intense hunger before. Would he and Irene even be able to go back to being friends? He desperately wants them to, but if he hurts her...

No. No, he should be fine. Kaname's blood can last him for a couple days. Still, despite that... why did a part of him feel so scared? Even if she gets hurt and bleeds again Ichijou should be able to keep his urges at bay. He was an aristocrat. Regardless of who his grandfather was, he was raised by Ichijou Kimiko. He was _not_ going to give in so easily.

 _I'm such a greedy child,_ he thought, closing his eyes as he stood up straight and made to leave the room. _I'm already being given so much and yet I still want more._ His mother was sure to scold him if she ever found out. But if Irene remembered... if she'd take him back after everything he'd done to her... _I'd do everything I could to make sure she won't be taken away from me again._

As he reached out to open the door Ichijou paused, a thought hitting him. He turned his head to glance over his shoulder curiously, gazing at the Pureblood who was on the verge of falling asleep. "I have just one more question to ask before I leave..." Kaname opened his eyes, looking at Ichijou tiredly. "What are you planning to do with Kiryuu-Kun? I know you aren't blind to what is happening."

"I already have a solution to that," He answered, turning onto his side opposite of the blond. His back was facing him, the brunette using his left arm as a pillow. "I will be speaking with the Chairman tomorrow; go ahead and get some rest, Takuma... I'm sure your body has been put through a lot of stress. You're excused from participating during class tonight."

"I don't need-" Ichijou started to speak, before cutting himself off when he realized Kaname did not wish to speak anymore. He gave the Pureblood a small headbow and an exasperated smile, "Yes, of course. Thank you." Kaname didn't shift, speak, or nod his head. He just laid there in silence and went to sleep as Ichijou opened the door and left, closing it behind him.

Ichijou certainly wasn't expecting the visitor he saw outside in the hallway, just a few feet away from him in front of Kaname's bedroom door. Coated in the Pureblood's blood, he knew quite well the way it must have looked.

...

The manager had dropped Rima, Shiki, and I off at the marketplace. Rima propped her umbrella, or as they called it "parasol", and opened it up to block the sun. They both squinted, flinching at the bright light, and after some debate and pressuring from the manager Shiki walked beneath the umbrella with Rima. I remained far off to the side, holding my soaked uniform blazer to my chest and trying my best to ignore the stench that came with it.

So much for that shower... god, it was like she mixed some kind of cherry kool-aid with the lemonade. So nasty! It killed whatever appetite the delicious smells the food stalls and fast food places had made, and now I was left feeling nauseous. Being out in the sun so much when I was constantly in doors didn't help much either, as the heat blazing down on me just made me dizzy.

It also didn't help much that the majority of my outfit was black, which attracted the sun's heat. I mean, I normally wear dark colors but I always had my green and white-and-green plaid jackets on top, so if the sun was out the heat didn't get absorbed by the dark colors.

I tiredly followed Rima and Shiki into a shop, more than a little relieved at the blast of air conditioning that hit us. For it supposedly being the end of Spring, it was _still_ exceedingly hot. It wasn't even summer! Spring was always such a nice season, too... at least Fall is coming up. _Oh god, what month is it again? September? What day is it?_ I think Skylar's birthday is in a few weeks, and about four days after that it's mine... _We'll both be seventeen. Joyous._

I sighed and stood near a wall, reluctant to sit down with my wet skirt and leggings. I watched the two look through some clothing racks, casting occasional glances in my direction (I was a good ten feet away) before looking back at the clothing racks. Were they seriously going to get me new clothes or were they just making sure I wasn't going to run off on them? I wasn't entirely sure.

Closing my eyes for a few moments I drifted off, darkness taking me, only to snap wide awake when a pair of hands suddenly clapped themselves in front of my face. I looked up at Rima in alarm, the girl dropping a plastic bag into my arms and on the mostly-dry blazer.

"Change into this."

"W-Wait, what?" I looked into the bag without moving, only to see a receipt. D-Did... _Oh my god, they actually paid for it! Why!?_ I stared up at Rima in alarm and quickly peered over her shoulder to see Shiki looking at what appeared to be shoes. I looked at the bag again, feeling awful for them wasting their money on me. "Y-You guys actually bought me clothes? How much were they?" I don't have any money! How am I supposed to pay them back?

"Doesn't matter," She stated bluntly, grabbing my arm and giving me a firm push into the direction of the changing rooms, "Put them on. They're yours. We're about the same size..." If you ignore the fact that you have a smaller waistline than I do and that you're a good three inches taller. I think Rima's waistline was a solid twenty-eight? I was a thirty-two. "Hurry up."

Not wishing to anger her I fumbled into the changing rooms, awkwardly getting dressed into the clothes they had bought. Blue jeans with a pale green button up, sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and a short-sleeved black-and-white striped sweater overtop. It was by far a hundred times more comfortable than the soggy clothes I had been wearing, but compared to the outfit itself I looked like a mess of a person trying to be fashionable.

God, my eyes were so swollen... I rubbed at the surrounding flesh, wincing. My eyes had turned a nasty-looking green from being so constantly upset, the honey brown gone and hard to be seen. My chocolate brown hair looked black from being soaked and I grimaced when I felt it, the strands sticking together due to the strange liquid I had been splashed with. My busted lip had also started to swell down, no longer as puffy. It was just discolored and purple.

The clothes fit surprisingly well though, thankfully, so Rima and Shiki must be really good at guessing sizes...

Okay, with Rima that made sense. With Shiki I don't want to even think about, because then I'll start feeling even more awkward and uncomfortable. I carefully folded my soaked uniform and placed the articles of clothing inside the plastic bag, picking it up and casting one more nervous glance into the body mirror before making my way out. I jumped back in alarm when I saw a redhead standing right there in front of me, a pair of what looked to be black mary janes in his hands.

"You're a size seven... right?" Shiki asked quietly, eyes flickering down towards my feet before back up to my face. "These should fit..."

Sh-Shoes, too...? Christ, did they just want to complete the outfit or something? I feel so bad!

"U-Um, o-okay..." His intense, blank stare made it difficult to refuse. "Do-Do I wear socks with them or-"

"No."

"O-Okay..." I awkwardly went back into the changing room, changed out of my uniform slippers and socks (as I had been wearing leggings, not tights, and leggings don't have feet) and put my shoes on. I felt weird doing so in front of them, so I chose to hide out in the changing room as I did so, and stared at my reflection once more as I tried to come to terms with what was happening.

Was there any real reason as to why they were doing this? Why are they being so nice? It's... kind of scary, really. I mean, I appreciate it, but... there's no context. So what if I was friends with Ichijou? That didn't mean they had to go out of their way. Most people wouldn't even be _trying_ to help me remember.

I'm so confused...

Holding back a sigh I made my way out of the room.

...

Ichijou was not prepared for the ice that spread along his arms, the blond suddenly pinned against the wall with a furious blue-eyed boy genius gripping his shirt collar tightly. "Ichijou, you bastard! What the hell have you done to Lord Kaname!?"

Aidou's blue eyes were furious; a mixture of rage and envy and betrayal. Ichijou disliked staring at those eyes; all he could think of was the same hurt look Irene wore when he forced her memories away. The man's fingers dug into his flesh, cold and rough, and he pulled him forward slightly before slamming him against the wall once more.

The ice grew more stubbornly this time, spreading like a wildfire along his body until his entire torso was encased. Ichijou looked fearfully at the ice, alarmed by the sudden hostility Aidou was showing him. They had been friends... hadn't they? He could feel the crystals trail up his neck. "Never... Never would I have imagined that it would be _you_ to do this." Aidou growled.

Ichijou stared down at him, hurt but no longer scared. In a fair fight Ichijou could take Aidou down easily. He just watched in silence, patiently allowing Aidou to finish his rant.

"Out of all people... " He shook his head, squeezing his eyes shut as conflicting emotions flashed across his face. Aidou glared at him. "I can't believe it would be _you!_ Were you really that mad with thirst!? Just who the hell is that girl to you, Vice Dorm President!? Well!? What's so attractive about a _Human!?_ "

He had it all wrong... Aidou really had it all wrong. Ichijou didn't attack Kaname. Kaname forced himself on _Ichijou_. Ichijou closed his eyes, looking away, but that only made the golden blond angrier.

" _Look at me, damn it!"_

The candles lit in the hallway extinguished, the temperature in the room dropping a couple more degrees. Ice spread from below Aidou's feet and to Ichijou's legs, wrapping around and pinning him to the wall. The ice that had been spreading around his face stopped, instead moving and slowly encircling and coating the rest of his exposed body. Ichijou opened his eyes, the emerald now a shimmering red. Aidou just looked angrier at that.

"Even after spilling so much you're still hungry...? _WHAT ABOUT HIS BLOOD WASN'T SATISFYING FOR YOU-!?"_ Aidou was cut off abruptly, the ice disintegrating into smoke and the golden blond being forced back by a strong gust of air. Ichijou stared at him for a moment before blinking, eyes widening in alarm and horror at what had just happened.

"A-Aidou, oh god, are you okay!?" He didn't mean to- if he couldn't control the power given to him by Kaname's blood how was he supposed to interact with Irene at the dance!? Ichijou stepped forward, ready to help him stand, but Aidou quickly pushed himself up and waved his arm. Ichijou just barely moved to the side in time to avoid a few shards of ice taking off his head, one of the pieces slicing his cheek. He brought a hand up to the injury, the wound quickly healing over, and he looked at Aidou in despair. "You..."

"Attacking a Pureblood is the lowest thing _anyone_ could do! You're just like your rotten Grandfather! At this rate you'll end up sucking that human brat dry! Just what's wrong with you, Ichijou!?"

It was like a blow to chest. "I'm not... I'm not my grandfather! You know I do my best to avoid that man! I don't like him either! And not to mention you have the situation completely wrong! You're misunderstanding everything!"

"How so? You're _covered head-to-toe_ in his _blood!_ "

"Th-That..."

A familiar voice spoke up, a door creaking open, and they both turned to look on in shock when they saw the brunette in question leaning languidly against the doorframe with his arms crossed. "Leave Takuma alone, Aidou... It was my decision. I made him do it."

"L-Lord Kaname..." Aidou choked, eyes growing wide. His brain then registered the words he had said. He looked horrified, not just at the words he said, but at the fact he too was still covered in blood. "Y-You-but, my lord! Why!?"

"...The reasons I have done so is none of your concern. As punishment for wrongly attacking him..." His footsteps were light and Aidou was completely frozen on the ground, unmoving, and flinched when Kaname pulled his hand back and delivered a painful smack across his face. "Now you're both even." He brought his fingers up to his lips, his nail having cut his cheek, and he licked the blood off.

Kaname turned around and started to walk back to his room, but Aidou hesitantly called out after him. "W-Wait, Lord Kaname!" The brunette stopped walking. "D-Do you wish to drink my blood? T-To recover what you lost..." A light pink was on his face, clearly embarrassed about offering but not backing off.

"...The blood tablets will be enough. Thank you, Aidou." He stepped into the room and closed the door behind him, leaving the two blonds to stand in silence in the hallway. Aidou visibly deflated, looking rather disappointed that Kaname had rejected his offer. He then looked at Ichijou, who was smiling sadly after the brunette. Upon feeling the pair of blue eyes on him he blinked, looking at Aidou in innocent confusion.

His eyes widened in surprise when the blond was suddenly kneeling in front of him, a pained look on his face as he apologized.

"I was wrong to attack you," He muttered, eyes focused on the ground. "I was out of line. Please forgive me, Vice Dorm Head."

Ichijou smiled at him, a little amused, and putting one hand behind his back he reached out with his other, leaning down and petting Aidou lightly on the head. He was much more of a cat person, but Aidou really was such a loyal puppy towards Kaname, wasn't he? "Apology accepted, Aidou~. Thank you."

He nodded stiffly, turning his head away, and awkwardly stood. "I... I smelled Lord Kaname's blood and I... I panicked." He bowed again quickly, "I'm grateful for your mercy." With that said he took off, covering his face as he tried to hide the tears that were welling up in his eyes. Ichijou smiled after him, but couldn't help but feel a bit bad for Aidou. He loved to tease him, but this really messed with him...

Ichijou sighed, smile dropping once the golden blond was out of sight, and lifted his hand up and stared at it. He was still shaking. He flexed his fingers before curling them into a fist, closing his eyes. _I can handle this._ No matter how much energy or strength the pure blood gave him, he will get control of _both_ his abilities and hunger. It'll only last a few days, so... he should be fine.

With that in mind he made his way to his dormroom, intent on taking a shower and putting on some clean clothes.

...

Rima and I looked at Shiki in concern when he abruptly stopped walking, a hand shooting up to his throat as if it were sore. We had left the clothing store, now left wandering the marketplace for a decent place to eat (having accidentally left the boxed meals in the car with the Manager), and were debating between a few places when Shiki suddenly went still. I almost slammed into him, and Rima had taken two steps forward before realizing he wasn't underneath the umbrella anymore.

"...Shiki?" She asked, frowning and raising an eyebrow. "What's wrong?"

He didn't speak for a moment, thinking about something, before shaking his head. "I have this bad feeling..." I blinked up at him. I was still wearing the new clothes, carrying the plastic bag they came with as it now had my soaked uniform and shoes in it.

"What kind of bad feeling?"

He looked at me, stared, and then shook his head. "I'm not sure."

Rima sighed at that. She then reached out with her umbrella, moving the fabric part until it was behind Senri's head and the pole was resting on his shoulder, and then pulled. He stumbled forward, a small gasp escaping, and barely caught himself from crashing into her. "I think you're still dreaming... Come on, let's get some food. Terrier-San will get sick if she doesn't eat anything... and from the sounds of it you will too."

My eyes widened. Is _that_ why they were doing all this? So I don't get sick? B-But... "I-I'll be okay. Y-You guys already d-did so much already, s-so..." I tried to dissuade them, moving my left hand about as I talked, but the stares the two gave me made me trail off. I lowered my head in defeat, slumping my shoulders. I felt like a small child being scolded. "S-Sorry..."

I had no choice but to follow them into what looked to be a semi-fancy restaurant. I didn't understand what the sign said, the kanji having been one I've not learned, so I didn't know what the place was called. We stood in line for a good minute or two before we were able to get seated, and after ordering drinks Rima told Shiki to sleep and without wasting a breath he closed his eyes and went limp, falling over onto her shoulder and passing out faster than you could blink.

I'm pretty sure the waitress had eyes for Shiki, but after coming back and seeing the way he was using Rima as a pillow changed her mind. She actually seemed quite grumpy after that. When it was time to get food I ordered one of the more cheap food items I could find that I was certain I would eat, which was a "bento box" with teriyaki and beef chicken. It was only around eleven US dollars, whereas there were other things on the menu that went up to sixteen.

Shiki ordered a katsu-don, which was meat over rice. A kurobuta pork-cutlet, lightly breaded, with eggs and vegetables simmered in sauce and served over rice. Rima got tonkotsu ramen, which was choshu pork and a soft-boiled egg, menma, corn, kikurage mushroom, fish cake, red ginger, and onion. I didn't even know what _half_ of those ingredients were, but they didn't sound very appetizing in my opinion.

While waiting I kicked my feet back-and-forth, wondering about how strange everything was. Cross Academy, Japan... even the people. I don't mean it in a bad way, it's just so... I don't know how to explain it. There were just some very odd things I kept picking out and I wasn't sure what to think of them.

I _knew_ something was up with the Night Class, but at the same time I was convinced I was just imagining things because _how could that be possible?_ I decided I wouldn't bring it up. If it came to light it came to light, and if I never found out, well... too bad for me, I guess. I doubted it was anything bad. Everyone in the Night Class had been super nice so far...

I looked out the window, eyes hurting just a little from the brightness of the sun. I never really left the house and since Marching Band back in America had only been for one trimester I didn't go outside much. I especially didn't go outside much here in Japan because we aren't even _supposed_ to leave campus grounds. I didn't have any outdoor classes either.

God, I don't feel good...

My eyes closed and I found myself leaning against the window, dozing off. The next time I awoke the food had arrived and Shiki and Rima had already halfway finished theirs. I looked down at my bento box, seeing the rice accompanied next to the meat, and tentatively picked up my chopsticks. I felt sick looking down at the food, even if I knew I ate it, and feared that if I ate it I would just throw it up like I did the one time I had lunch a few days ago.

I haven't actually ate and managed to keep anything down in... in...

 _I don't even know._ No. No. Okay, you know what? I can do this. I-I can... eat this food. Shiki and Rima have went out of their to buy this for me so I am _going_ to eat this.

"Terrier-San...?"

I snapped out of it, staring at the two models in alarm and slight fear. The hand that was holding onto the chopsticks was trembling like crazy and I could feel the sweat on my forehead. I had to set the chopsticks down, grabbing onto my fingers to stop them when they started to tap nervously against the air. "Y-Y-Y-Yeah?" I flinched at my horrible Japanese.

"...Are you alright?" I nodded quickly at Rima's question, Shiki having been the one to speak earlier. "You're not eating."

"I-I am! I-I just, I just..." I don't want to say anything. But I... I'm scared. What if I eat and hurl it all back up? That's even worse than not eating. How long _has_ it been? A week? I know I managed to get some stuff in my stomach the first day or two, but anything after that and I've been unable to keep anything down or just unable to get food. I swallowed thickly, the thought of eating in and of itself making me physically ill. "I'm okay."

I took a deep breath, trying to calm down. I could feel my heart racing from how bad I was panicking. I released my hand, staring at it for a moment as it continued to shake, before gingerly picking my chopsticks up again. I can do this. It's alright. I-I can... eat this.

"I'm okay... Th-Thank you for the food." I nervously picked up a slice of teriyaki, staring at it for a long moment, before placing it in my mouth. I set my chopsticks down and clamped a hand over my mouth just to be safe, but the exact second the sauce had touched my tongue I realized just _how_ hungry I actually was. My eyes widened and my stomach rumbled violently, and before I knew it I had swallowed and was already working on the rice and the beef.

Tears were burning my eyes. I hurt so much, but I was just so damn _hungry_. A piece of chicken got lodged in my throat from eating too fast and I coughed roughly, hacking and choking, and quickly downed some of my water. I tried to eat more slowly, making sure I actually _chewed_ the food this time, but it was difficult.

I was maybe halfway through the meal when I started to feel full.

I had to force myself to stop despite how desperately I wanted to keep going, as I knew that if I did my fear would actually come true. I _had_ to slow down. I waited at least five minutes before taking a few more bites, and when the grumpy waitress (Minori, her nametag said) came back Rima asked for some boxes.

My stomach hurt like crazy, but I didn't protest as Rima convinced to me pack up what I had left of the bento. The ginger called up the manager, Shiki being coerced into paying for the meal by the female model, and he sighed as he pulled out his wallet. He didn't let out any complaints, but when he sighed Rima just kind of glared at him. It was sort of funny to watch.

I felt a small smile twitching upwards on my face, genuine and amused. It was... really nice being able to talk to people again. Awkward as it may be sometimes. I... I kinda hope we can be friends, even if only for a short while...

When the manager came back we got in, the woman commenting on how "good" I looked in my new clothes, and I thanked her a bit nervously in embarrassment as I climbed into the vehicle. I set my boxed food and plastic bag in my lap, doing my best to keep them out of Shiki and Rima's way, and without a word the manager drove us back to the Academy.

When we had gotten to the restaurant it had been around three in the afternoon. When we arrived at the Academy it was six thirty. I awkwardly bid Shiki and Rima goodbye, the two models making their way back to the Moon Dorms, and without further adieu I dragged my feet in the direction of the Girls Day Dorm, ignoring the intense urge to follow them and find the one person who had been completely consuming my thoughts.

The Day Classes had ended a few hours ago, Night classes now in session, and I did my best to ignore all the accusatory glares being sent my way as I walked through the hallways up to my dormroom. I wondered if they knew I was out with Rima and Shiki or if they were glaring for a different reason. Maybe the people here took it harder and were more critical on others for skipping class?

Ugh... Now I feel bad about myself. But you know what? That's perfectly fine. Because I learned something today; I had been pretty good friends with Ichijou. I still don't know for sure if we had a fight and he was avoiding me for that reason, but I at least know that we spoke. Shiki and Rima were really nice people and I was extremely grateful to them. If the Day Class girls have any sort of problem with me talking to the Night Class or with my skipping classes they can talk to me about it whenever they want.

In the meantime, I need to figure out how to explain all of this to Skylar the next time I see her... The new clothes, the boxed food, and... my amnesia. If she knew I talked to Ichijou before and when I told her about the flowers she pretended not to know about it to spare my feelings, I was going to smack her silly. She could have _told_ me that I used to know him. So unless she kept quiet for a good reason I'm going to rant at her thoroughly.

With that in mind I gave a sigh and pushed opened the door to our room, wondering just exactly how I was going to do all this.


	18. A Surprising Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Rima pays Irene a visit, Shiki gets a bit forceful, and Eliza and Ichijou go on a "friend's day out".

It was dark out. I couldn’t see anything. All I felt was warmth, huddled underneath what I believed to be blankets. I had woken up in the middle of the middle of the night, but wasn’t entirely sure of the time. I remembered smiling about something. A good thing had happened earlier that day.

But then all good thoughts suddenly vanished, instead replaced with fear. Cold air swept over the room wind blowing in and moving the curtains as the windows opened from outside. I felt panic. When I sat up, I saw someone else in the room. It was too dark to make their features out, but I could make out the silhouette. The intruder was female.

I threw a pillow. It didn’t make it very far, but I panicked and got up, running for the door. I was stopped quickly, the person suddenly in front of me, and they grabbed at me. I screamed. Panicked. Hit back. Her fingers pulled at my hair, dizziness washing over me like a sleep spell. My thoughts became messy; things started to become harder to recall. I bit down on the hand that was covering mouth and kicked.

Something was fading… something important. Something I was unwilling to let go of.

  
Red eyes glowed in the darkness, bright and threatening, and the fear I felt was almost suffocating. She yanked my hair, slamming my head against the wall, and I found it hard to breath. Exhaustion was rapidly taking over; I felt lightheaded.

I tried to cling onto what was vanishing-the smile, the laugh, the warmth, the sun-but it was difficult. Purple light flashed in my vision and I struggled to remain conscious, to keep those images in my head, but before I knew it everything had started to go black…

_No… No! Get off of me-GET AWAY! I WON’T FORGET HIM!_

“STOP IT!”

I woke up in a cold sweat, wheezing and gasping as my eyes shot open. I was trembling, rolling onto my side with a shiver as I brought my hands up to my head and grabbed at my hair. Tears burned at my eyes, fear consuming the entirety of my being as my thoughts ran rampant. So much had gone wrong; that woman who had attacked me-was it a dream? Was it another memory?   
  


It felt too real to be a dream. But it also felt too dream-like to be real. Who was that person? Why were they even attacking me? Normally my dreams, nightmares included, involve long and detailed sequences that explained and led up to the events that took place within it. This had been random, without warning, and _very_ much too realistic.

Working hard to calm down I waited five minutes before shakily pushing myself up into a sitting position, disoriented and unable to properly focus. I was greatly paranoid, eyes darting around the room as if expecting someone or something to jump out at me. I knew it was irrational; I was the only person in the dorm room. But something ate away at me, telling me that I wasn’t safe.

I backed myself against my bedframe, knees pulled up to my chest as I choked on silent tears. I was nauseous and breathless and scared beyond reason. My heart was racing like crazy. Calming down was near impossible at the moment. I was crying, shaking, hyperventilating- I was a mess. The reason I couldn’t remember anything-the reason why I had amnesia-did it have to do with that woman?

It felt more like a horrifying memory than a regular nightmare. I released my hair, dragging my hands down my face, and could only stare in complete unadulterated horror as the scene itself played out in front of me. I could recall running and screaming, I could recall throwing a pillow. R-Red eyes and… and…

My voice caught in my throat as I choked on a sob, and I scrambled out of the bed only to have my foot get caught on the blankets. I let out a yelp as I fell and whimpered after hitting the ground, curling into a ball and trying to hide within myself. _I’m scared._ Somebody help me. I-I can’t-I can’t do this. I’m so scared. _She’s going to kill me._ I don’t want to die. I don’t want to forget.

The hiccups that wracked my body were painful and unrelenting, violent and uncontrollable as the tears streamed like a wildfire. I wasn’t able to move, breaking and hurting and wishing I could hide behind someone and hug them as tight as could be.

I wasn’t sure how long I remained in that position. It felt like forever. I just know that by the time I stopped crying my body hurt and I felt exhausted. I had calmed down enough to think, to ponder on the details of the horrific memory, and sluggishly pushed myself up onto my hands and knees as I stared lifelessly at the carpet floor.

_The room… The room I was in. I’ve been there before._

Cream walls with wooden paneling. I know that place. It was where I woke up.

_No. That’s not it._

It was where I spent most of my time with Ichijou. Wasn’t it? I raised my head and stared with dead eyes at the door, recalling the faintest memory of bidding someone good bye. Repeatedly, constantly, warmly…

_“Is it alright if I visit you again tomorrow morning?”_

Without any actual knowledge of my actions I stood, making my way over to the door and grabbing onto the handle. My hand grasped it so tightly my knuckles went white, still shaking like that of a leaf. The voice was gentle and kind. Relaxed. My dear friend…

Not trusting myself nor having the energy to speak I merely nodded at the question, a lump forming painfully in my throat as I stared up at his smiling face. Ichijou looked peaceful, pleased and grinning as bright as could be. Such a lovely expression…

He suddenly vanished. My eyes then widened when I heard a yelp and as I turned my head to look over my shoulder, alarmed, I remembered asking if he was alright. He said he was fine, and then…

Ichijou appeared by the window, but it wasn’t my dorm room window. It was the window from the Headmaster’s guestroom, the one I had opened the day I woke up and got embarrassed when I saw the blond had noticed me staring at him as he walked away. The vision version-Ichijou opened the curtain with one hand, looking over me curiously.

Instead of by the door, I found myself near the bed. The headmaster’s guest bed. The light reflected off of Ichijou, shimmering against his acacia honey colored hair and complimenting his emerald eyes beautifully. He looked ethereal. _“Why do you keep your curtains closed, Irene-Chan?”_ He asked me, voice filled with curiosity as he smiled. My head pounded and I felt faint, but I found myself locked in place by his gaze. _“Shouldn’t you let light in?”_

I…

I wasn’t given a chance to respond, now beside him at the window. My back pressed slightly against his chest as I dived underneath his arm to look out the window, and while his persona was now hazy I could make out the scenery outside perfectly. The Day Class students leaving the school building…

I felt flustered but I wasn’t sure why.

Forcefully snapped out of my reverie by the turning doorknob I was holding onto I blinked, finding myself back in my dormroom and encased by the darkness. I released the metal handle like it was fire, stumbling back and nearly falling over as a wave of nausea washed over me. I clamped a hand over my mouth, barely stopping the bile, and almost gagged as I swallowed the vomit back down.

I wasn’t able to run to the bathroom to wash my mouth out, as the door to the room opened and a familiar caramel-skinned female walked in. The purple was on the verge of fading out of her hair completely, the girl needing to re-dye it, and her chocolate eyes widened in surprise when she saw me standing there just a few feet away from her and wide awake. “I-Irene?”

I pulled my hand away from my mouth, wiping it against my pants leg, and gripped the edges of my shirt anxiously as I looked at her. When was the last time we really spoke and had a full conversation? “H-Hey.”

I stiffened when she walked forward, placing her hands on my shoulders as she looked down at me in concern. My face was red and puffy from crying, and the moment her eyes caught sight of my busted lip and the band-aid on my cheek her face contorted with anger. I was taken aback, a little alarmed at the sight as this was a side of her I very rarely got to see. “Who the hell did this to you?” She demanded. “Where were you today; why weren’t you at class? Why weren’t you in the dorm!? Did someone attack you again?”

I faltered, startled, and relaxed when I saw she was concerned. A shaky smile spread across my face, more tears welling up at the immense relief I felt. Skylar hadn’t forgotten me. She still cared. For now, I still at least mattered. “I-I’m okay,” I choked, startling her with my relieved grin. “Th-Thank you. Um, but… but I-I wasn’t at school because… well, I-I went out into town.”

She blinked, loosening her hold on my shoulder. “What?” I nodded awkwardly, feeling a bit embarrassed.

“Y-Yeah… Um, you-do you know Shiki-San? He’s an underclassman.” Skylar’s eyes widened, realization flashing in her eyes. She nodded.

“Of course I know Underclassman Shiki! I see him all the time at the Moon Dorm when I’m on patrol. Why? What about him?”

“I… Well, I was waiting for you to show up when… when he came to the dorms and kinda… kidnapped me.” She stared, snorted, and pulled me into a hug as she laughed. “S-Skylar?”

“Y-You poor thing!” Skylar cried out, laughing and trying to be sympathetic at the same time. I was confused, but reciprocated the embrace nonetheless as I rested my chin on her shoulder. “D-Did he just grab you and take you out into town? What did he even do that for!?” She pulled away, grinning widely. I opened my mouth to explain, but closed it and paused. Skylar frowned.

How… should I tell her? “Um… S-Skylar, I…” I hesitated. Then, taking a deep breath, I backed up and awkwardly held up a finger, tapping nervously against my skull. “Do… Do you… _know?_ A-About… that?”

Something seemed to flash in her eyes-relief? Concern? Maybe both? I wasn’t entirely certain. What I did know was that her expression softened at my words and she nodded. “Yeah. I know… I knew from the start. Did you think I wouldn’t notice something was wrong?”

That is… well….

“I-I was… kinda hoping.” I shamefully admitted, lowering my head. I felt like an idiot.

“Irene~!”

I flinched at her words, stammering out an apology. “I-I’m sorry… b-but I, um, I went out into town with Shiki-San because… well, he knew about it.” We were speaking in English, but because I had called him _“San_ ” so often it just became natural to add the honorific. I raised a hand and placed it against my chest, lifting my head and meeting Skylar’s eyes. “He _knew_ me, Skylar. He didn’t… try to hide it o-or anything! E-Everyone else I spoke to acted like they never even _met me_ before!”

My voice cracked and Skylar’s frowned sadly. “Irene…”

I continued, waving my hands about as I spoke. “A-And-And he _helped_. S-Souen-San, the Headmaster… e-even Yuuki-Chan… they all acted like I didn’t know anyone from the Night Class. But Shiki-San didn’t! H-He came _here_ , to the Girls Day Dorms, through the-the _horde_ of fangirls t-to talk to me and to _help_ me! I-Ichijou-Kun is… Shiki-San is helping me _remember_ who he is! What Ichijou-Kun _was_ to me!”

But in that time… where was Skylar? A dagger pierced itself through my heart, being reminded that even though Skylar had known about my amnesia she was gone for most of it. Why…? Why hadn’t she tried to help me? The times I cried in despair, the times I contemplated _ending my life_ so I wouldn’t have to feel so empty-where was she?

I choked, tearing up and on the verge of breaking out into sobs once more. “Wh-Where were you, Skylar? Who is Ichijou Takuma to me?” Why does thinking about him… recalling him… _speaking_ about him hurt so goddamn much!? “Who is he!?”

Shiki had said me and Ichijou had been friends. That we were close and that the blond constantly talked about me. I wanted to believe that. I wanted to hold on to the thought that we had been good friends. But without every single one of my memories… how am I supposed to know for sure?

Before I knew it I was gripping Skylar by the shoulders, shaking her as I demanded answers. I was never one for violence, and I could never stand yelling at other people, but this… this was too much. Skylar had to have had a reason; she had to be able to explain _why_. If not that, then… at least what my relationship with Ichijou was. She knew me, unlike Shiki whom I had technically just met. “Tell me, now! _Please…_ ” Everything was so blurry; my eyes burned so bad it hurt having them open, but closing them was just as bad. “S-Skylar… I need to know.”

The brunette was silent. She stared at me without speaking, the atmosphere tense and suffocating. After a long moment she closed her eyes and sighed. “I don’t know, Irene. For a while you two just swapped notebooks; he had taken a liking to your drawings. Then… one day you got sick.” She gave a small shrug, not entirely certain how to go about explaining. Her eyes that met mine were filled with regrets. “You remained in the Headmaster’s guest room during that time. I only got to see you in the mornings and at night for breakfast and dinner, the Headmaster inviting me over to eat, but whenever I _did_ see you he was always by your side.”

 _Ichijou… was?_ I loosened my hold on her, confused. I really had stayed in the Headmaster’s guestroom before then? But… then why did Ichijou visit so much? For what reason did he keep coming by? Why did he remain so close to me?

“He’d spend hours with you during the day when he was supposed to be sleeping. You were always so happy, Irene.” Skylar smiled, “You guys bonded a lot while you were sick. I wanted to tell you about your memories, believe me! But I knew it would hurt and… I hate seeing you in pain.” She lowered her head, upset. I felt bad for getting so mad at her. “You’re such a fragile little flower… You’re empathetic to the point it’s ridiculous and you’re always worrying about everything. If I had told you that you had forgotten somebody you loved, I felt like it would break you…”

Everything suddenly made sense. The reason why Skylar hid it from me, the reason I hurt so much. I had spent so much time with Ichijou during my stay here it would have been odd _not_ have grown some kind of attachment to him. I was a very clingy person and I loved my friends like crazy. Ichijou must not have been just a friend-he must have been one of my _best_ friends.

...But why I do get the feeling Skylar means “love” in a different kind of context? I stared at her blankly, blinking multiple times as I awaited an explanation.

“What do you mean?” I finally decided to ask, feigning obliviousness. She looked at me in surprise. Seeing she didn’t understand I clarified with a small sniffle, “Wh-What do mean by “loved”?”

Skylar blinked. “I mean you had loved Upperclassman Ichijou.” I practically choked on my own saliva, ready to burst out into incredulous tears. I stared at her with wide eyes, eyebrows raised as I gaped openly at her. “Didn’t you?”

“N- _No!_ I-I don’t- _how should I know!?_ ” My voice went up multiple octaves in pitch and I tried not to flinch. “I-I’m still having trouble r-remembering everything; how am I supposed to know how I felt!? B-Besides, I-I highly doubt that!”

“But it was so obvious!” Skylar argued, adamant that I really had been crushing on Ichijou and that my first hypothesis after taking to Souen had been correct. “You had all the signs! The fact that you even remember who he is right now is proof enough that you cared for him!”

“Yeah, _cared_ for him,” I agreed, nodding my head sarcastically. “But not that I’m madly in love with him! You can’t fall for a person within the course of a month, Skylar; it’s impossible! There are stages to those kinds of things!”

“Like what?” She demanded, placing a hand on her hip as she raised an eyebrow at me. I think this could be considered our first “fight” as friends, as I had never been someone to make Skylar angry in the past. It was uncomfortable and I didn’t like it, but I refused to let her believe something when it was so clearly incorrect. “Love doesn’t have “stages” Irene, it happens when you least expect it! It’s sudden, it’s spontaneous, and the feelings grow over time! By the time you realize you’re in love it’s too late; you’ve fallen already!”

“For some people, maybe, but not for me! Okay? You know how picky I am when it comes to befriending people; why on earth would I fall for a guy I’ve spent less than a month talking to!?”

“Because you’re _compatible!_ ” She exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air and holding them out in front of her. “Have you _seen_ the chemistry you two have? You’re adorable!”

“Ch-Chemistry?” I choked. I was certain my face was red; this whole conversation was embarrassing to have. I just wanted to crawl underneath some blankets and hide. I found myself thinking about some of the memories I had recalled-namely the ones where Ichijou had been teasing me or gotten too close for comfort. “I-I think you’ve completely lost it, Skylar; there is _no_ chemistry! I-Ichijou-Kun has been completely avoiding me since the first day, s-so I doubt we even got along that well.”

Skylar groaned, slapping a hand against her forehead before dragging it down her face. “Irene, come on~! Just admit you’re crushing on the man! At least tell me you think he’s cute. You may not remember all that well, but you _do_ know what he looks like, right?”

Okay. Nope. I’m done. I can’t do this. I’m finished with this conversation. I spun on my heels, marching towards the bathroom in order to wash my face. “I can’t do this.”

Skylar let out a complaint, chasing after me. “Aw, come on~! Don’t do this! Hey-Irene?” She grabbed my arm and paused, leaning over to get a better look at my face. Her eyes widened. I was biting the inside of my cheek, hands clenched into trembling fists as I fought against a strangled sob. “Hey… what’s wrong?”

I didn’t speak as Skylar pulled me into an embrace, the girl’s arms wrapping around me and holding me close as the tears silently fell. I choked, my heart feeling like it was being torn into shreds as I thought about what I had said.

If we really were best friends, if we really had that “chemistry” Skylar had said… why was Ichijou avoiding me?

“I-It hurts,” I whimpered, burying my face in her shoulder as I turned to wrap my arms around her tightly. “E-Everything r-really hurts…”

“...I know, Irene. I know… We’ll get you through this. Okay?”

I nodded at her words, finding myself more upset over the fact that Ichijou was actively avoiding me rather than the fact that Skylar had hidden her knowledge of my amnesia from me. Her reasoning made sense; I didn’t remain upset with her. I just felt heartbroken by everything else. Once I managed to calm down I pulled away and explained to her what had happened with Shiki and Rima, and where I had gotten my busted lip from.

Once that was done and over with Skylar decided to skip the rest of her prefect duties, instead choosing to remain in the dorm with me, and we spent the next few hours watching season one of _Tokyo Ghoul_. I ended up falling asleep halfway through, and the next time I woke up it was only for the reason that the alarm clock was blaring and it was the next morning, with Skylar nowhere to be found.

…

Skylar stabbed little holes into the Voodoo doll she was holding, more grateful than ever to Chiharu for making it for her. The faded-purple haired prefect was _furious_. She was going to find that rotten Pureblood, no matter how hard she’d have to try to corner him, and she was _going_ to make him pay. She couldn’t kill him, unfortunately, but she could find ways to make him angry…

He and Ichijou were friends, so maybe she could try and guilt trip him? She doesn’t want to have to bring in poor innocent Yuuki; the girl was just as fragile a flower as Irene. But Kaname, the little brat, was greatly testing Skylar’s ability to hold herself back from being completely savage. She hadn’t realized just how bad Irene was taking everything until a few hours ago when they spoke. Maybe she should just start taking Irene on patrol with her…? No. The last time that happened Aidou tried to bite her.

Skylar narrowed her eyes and glared into nothing, annoyance at the blond and hatred at the Pureblood burning viciously inside of her. “I’m gonna strangle him,” Skylar growled, curling her fingers around the doll’s neck. It’s bright red button eyes stared up at her lifelessly, and as she passed a tree the girl wasted no time in reaching out and slamming its face into the bark as hard as she possibly could.

…

I spent a good ten minutes washing my face and trying to get the swelling in my eyes to go down. I had washed my face before mine and Skylar’s _Tokyo Ghoul_ marathon so I didn’t look _too_ bad today, but it would still be obvious to anyone who looked at me that I had been crying. Bright side, I’m pretty sure I’ll look semi-normal within the next three to four hours.

Seeing as Skylar was still gone, I assumed she had made a break to the dorm cafeteria. We still had a few hours left before we had to make it to class. _Maybe I can make it to the kitchen and grab one of the boxes…?_ Although, knowing my luck, someone else probably found them both and ate them. I sighed, lowering my head in defeat. It would be a waste of time to even try.

Deciding to stop fiddling with my face I brushed my teeth and headed back into the bedroom, kneeling down beside my dresser and pulling out my clothing pieces of my extra uniform. I got dressed, waited until it was time to go to class, and left. The rumors that flew by as people glanced at my face were ridiculous, and I did my best to ignore them as I headed to homeroom.

 _I’m not a delinquent,_ I thought in annoyance as everyone muttered among themselves. I tapped my fingers against the desk, questioning the way their minds worked. So what if I was a little beaten up after missing a day? That didn’t mean I joined a gang and started picking fights with people. Really, people- at least put in _some_ ounce of truth when you speak. _And I’m not part of the “Yakuza”. Do I look like a mafia member to you? Wait, did they just compare me to Zero? How is he a delinquent?_

The entire school day was a mess. I hated it. The teacher demanded where I had been and I ended up sinking down into my seat fearfully as I struggled to explain that I was sick. He snapped at me, saying that if that was the case I should of called the Headmaster’s Office and asked for a pass. I apologized, promising I would do so next time, and agonized over how long the classes lasted the rest of the day.

I encountered Yuuki at lunch, the girl standing beside Sayori as always, and I asked how things were going. The petite brunette practically jumped ten feet in the air when I spoke up from behind her and stuttered over her words, before quickly bowing, apologizing, and running off. I blinked, staring after her in confusion, and looked at Sayori for an explanation.

“I’m not sure…” She answered quietly, just as soft-spoken as before. I slumped my shoulders and sighed.

“Alrighty then… Just great.” Ichijou, Yuuki-everyone was avoiding me, weren’t they? Things were fine a few days ago with Yuuki-why was she acting up so much now? “Hey, Skylar-” I cut myself off, confused when I saw she had vanished. She was in class… and she was here just a few minutes ago. Where’d she go?

I ended up only eating a small portion of my lunch, spending the rest of my time looking for the girl. It turned out she was trying to sneak some cookies from some poor guy’s tray, of which I had to scold her after as she was just going to get sick from all the milk in the chocolate that came in the cookie, but she disregarded me and ate them anyway. I face-palmed. It’s not my fault if her lactose intolerant-ness causes her to get cramps later…

Two class periods later the day ended and we went our separate ways, Skylar to the gates and I to the dorm. The next day wasn’t really something I had been prepared for. I was getting ready as usual, having woken up earlier than normal due to another nightmare, and was in the process of getting together all the articles of my uniform when there was a knock on the door.

I paused, turned, and stared.

_Knock-Knock._

Two light taps. Nothing more, nothing less. But it was _definitely_ on my door. Confused, I stood and made my way over, waiting for another knock before opening it. To my surprise it was a familiar pig-tailed model, the electric blue eyes staring down at me expectantly and with a hint of annoyance. She looked tired. “Get dressed,” She ordered. “You’re coming with me today.”

 _W-Wait… what?_ A little warning would have been nice! I stared at Rima with wide eyes, disbelieving at what I was hearing. “Wh-Where are we going?” Was it another trip to town? Was… Was Rima going to help me recall something? What’s with the sudden visit?

“Work.” She answered. “Then food. We leave in twenty.”

I blinked dumbly, flabbergasted. What does she mean I’m going to work with her? You can’t have someone with you at a job; wasn’t that considered unprofessional? Unless you sent in a notice a few weeks prior and asked for permission, you couldn’t even bring your sibling to work. Was her boss really going to be okay with me going with her on such short notice?

Not to mention the teacher will yell at me again… but… oh, man, I don’t know what to do. I don’t want to decline, but I also don’t want to get into trouble again…

My decision was made when a familiar face flashed through my mind and I sighed once more. “Okay…. Give me a minute.” I kept my uniform sprawled out across the bed, not bothering to put it away, and instead opted for a more casual outfit. Blue jeans, a black tanktop, and a baggy dark blue/green quarter-sleeve shirt with slits at the sides near the bottom.

I slid on socks, plopped on my sneakers, and decided I’d put in _some_ effort into my appearance. Making my way to the bathroom I sprayed my hair to the side quickly, undercut positioned how it should be, and made my way back over to Rima who was lounging lazily against the wall with a strawberry pocky stick dangling out of her mouth.

I shoved my hands into my jeans pockets and followed her out of the room, ignoring the strange and curious stares we were getting from the other dorm residents. _First Shiki, now Rima,_ I thought, trying to imagine how the other girls were viewing this. I half-expected someone to break into my dorm room while I was gone and mess with my uniforms. It wouldn’t be the first time someone who didn’t like me tried to bully me in that way.

Back when I was in Middle School someone had torn up my gym uniform shirt, and then my freshman year in High School someone actually took my gym uniform right out from under my nose and gave it to the office claiming it was “lost”. The teacher gave me a second uniform after I panicked thinking I had actually lost it, and when it was returned I was more than a little annoyed. The things people do… it’s ridiculous.

“So, wait,” I began curiously, “why am I suddenly going to work with you?”

“...For reassurance.”

I blinked at her multiple times, not understanding. Rima, opening the door of her Manager’s car, sighed. She looked at me, eyes half-lidded and bored.

“With the way you’re taking care of yourself you’re going to end up sick… I’m to keep an eye on you today because of that. You’re not allowed to become ill.”

“O-Oh…” I felt a bit ashamed, though I didn’t really know why Rima was worrying. Even if I got sick I would be fine; I had much worse than a simple cold in the past, so it’s not like it would kill me or anything. “Okay.”

Not uttering a word of protest I quietly got into the car after her, sitting there awkwardly in silence as the manager drove away.

…

“Ichijou-San… Ichijou-San…” Shiki let out a breath, exasperated by his friend’s attempts of hiding. Shiki had offered his blood to the blond in order to help satiate his bloodlust, but the moment he did so Ichijou took off running and locked himself in their dormroom’s bathroom. He was acting so childish… “You need to eat.”

The redhead stood there in front of the door, uncomfortable with the current situation. Did he really have to hide like this? Ichijou was the older one, but sometimes it really didn’t feel like it. He raised a hand and knocked on the door, knowing full well it was locked and the blond was probably leaning against it for extra measure. He seemed to have forgotten that there was a door from Shiki’s room leading into the bathroom as well… The model sighed.

“I know you don’t like drinking from others, but you need it. Come out already…”

Ichijou’s voice was muffled from the other side of the door. “I’ll be fine without it, Shiki! I appreciate the concern, but I already had some tablets! I don’t need any blood.” Shiki could hear the forced cheer in his voice, the blond trying to pretend he was feeling better. The redhead just stared blankly, unimpressed and unconvinced by his words.

“Let me in, Ichijou-San.”   
  


“A-Ah, but I’m not dressed!” Liar. Ichijou had ran in with the intent of hiding, not bathing.

“Let me in.”

“I-I already told you, I’m _fine_ , Shiki!”

 _Will you stop arguing already?_ Shiki thought, annoyed. He could feel his eyebrow trying to twitch from irritation. Ichijou was _not_ okay and Shiki wasn’t going to stop pestering him until he admitted it and agreed to take his blood. After a few more minutes of silence Shiki came to the conclusion that Ichijou was _not_ going to leave the bathroom, nor unlock it so Shiki could enter, and so the model tried to come up with a different solution.

He didn’t feel like going through the work of walking all the way out of Ichijou’s room, through the livingroom, and into his own bedroom in order to reach the bathroom, so Shiki needed to think of a good way to trick him into opening the door. Reaching up Shiki knocked on the door once more, jiggling the door handle, when a thought suddenly hit him.

He remembered what he had learned the other day when he took the human girl out into town. She had known she had amnesia, and knew enough that she was forgetting something important. She remembered who Ichijou was, that she had spoken to him, and even recalled speaking to Shiki himself once before. She had also said…

“Ichijou-San… there’s something I need to tell you. Let me in.”

“I told you; I’m not _dressed_ , Shiki! Surely if it’s so important you can tell me from the other side of the door?” Since when had Ichijou ever cared if he was undressed in front of Shiki? He gotten changed in front of him more than once-they’re _roommates._ Hell, Shiki changed in front of Rima once or twice and they’re co-workers.  
  


“...Fine…” Shiki settled, annoyed. “I’ll tell Terrier-San that she can go ahead and leave Japan. If you don’t care anymore, then she has nothing holding her back…”

There was the sound of glass breaking inside the bathroom. Shiki blinked, wondering if his words actually worked. Next thing he knew the door was being slammed open, tinted-red emerald eyes staring down at him in a mixture of alarm and confusion. “What are you talking about!? Irene-Chan isn’t leaving Japan! She’s a transfer student here, remember? She’s here until her graduation!”

Shiki shook his head. “Terrier-San… said that she wants to ask the Headmaster… if she can leave early. She thinks she doesn’t belong here.”

“B-But that’s ridiculous!” Ichijou sputtered, eyes wide. “Of course Irene-Chan belongs here! She-” He cut himself off, pain growing across his face as his eyes became conflicted with emotions. A bitter smile spread across his lips then, the male looking down at Shiki with knitted eyebrows. “She still believes that the Headmaster is going to make her leave…?”

The model didn’t speak, simply shrugging in response. He stared up at the tall blond with tired eyes, wondering what exactly was going through his head at that moment. It was clear to everyone Ichijou cared a lot about the human girl-an emotion Shiki couldn’t really understand-and it was tearing him apart from the inside.

“I can’t believe this,” Ichijou continued to mutter, releasing the door handle and stepping back into the bathroom as he ran a hand through his messy hair. He was dressed in a pale green button-up with a beige vest, khakis finishing the outfit. He had been up since dawn, taking only a four-hour nap before having woken to read some more of his manga collection. Shiki followed Ichijou in, casting a curious glance at the shattered mirror.

 _Seven years bad luck,_ he thought, recalling the superstition Aidou had once went on about when Kain had gotten on him for collecting some shattered glass the Dorm President had broken. Aidou had been protesting, claiming that since it was “Lord Kaname’s” it was actually seven years of good luck instead. He was Shiki’s friend, but sometimes Aidou really could be stupid… Shiki suddenly recalled the time Aidou had tried to drink from the human girl.

Even though she had been terrified, frozen, and was scared of Aidou as he tried to drink her blood she managed to stop the Hunter girl from shooting at him. She had no clue of Vampires or Hunters, and if it had been a real gun the girl surely would have bled out and died. She would have been killed protecting her attacker. And then, after all that, she _spared_ Aidou and asked Ichijou not to report him, and rescued Shiki himself because he had “helped” her.

A couple days later, maybe a week-Shiki doesn’t really remember-he and Ichijou had ran into the girl in town. Crying, panicking, _worrying_. Even though the girl could have possibly killed her if it was an anti-vampire gun, the small brunette was still concerned. She was merciful and kind. Then, after losing her memories, Shiki found out she was incredibly self-deprecating as well. She hasn’t been taking good care of herself either; as a model, Shiki found that most disturbing.

She had lost weight and her eyes were so swollen from crying it was disgusting. He didn’t even want to begin to mention the dark circles underneath them, which were just barely hidden by her glasses. After seeing that and talking with her, he learned just how much she cared about his friend. And the moments she zoned out… or spoke to herself in a one-sided conversation… she was remembering, wasn’t she?

A stubborn, kind-hearted human who saw all the hints he gave her about them being Vampires and she completely disregarded them. It was as if she refused to acknowledge it. And then there’s the fact of her ability to constantly harm herself without even trying…

Shiki turned his head, raising his gaze to look at his perturbed blond friend. The other day when he was out with Rima and the human he had gained the feeling something bad happened, his throat sore and chest burning just slightly as if he had heartburn. When he returned to the Moon Dorms, he could make out the lingering smell of the Dorm Head’s blood. What’s more, Ichijou had been _covered_ in the scent. It didn’t take a genius to figure out the blond had taken from Kaname.

Unfortunately, it was clear Ichijou was _still_ thirsty and because of that they were now in this situation. Shiki had realized how hungry his friend was and offered him his blood, but the blond refused, ran, hid, and now they were both standing here in the bathroom.

The redhead blinked, realizing now was the perfect opportunity to corner him. While Ichijou was still distracted by his thoughts Shiki took that as the chance to step back and close the door, locking it, and hoped that Ichijou still hadn’t remembered the other door in the room. Hearing the lock click Ichijou paused, lifting his head up and staring at Shiki in confusion before his face lit up with alarm. Shiki’s expression was completely blank as Ichijou stepped back, raising his hands up defensively.

“Sh-Shiki, _no_. I-I’m not-I’ve had enough blood already. I don’t need anymore.”

The model shook his head, simply stepping closer to him. Ichijou kept backing away-so much so that if he wasn’t careful he was going to fall into the tub. “I don’t like it when you lie to me, Ichijou-San…”

“I’m not-”

“Your eyes are filled with bloodlust…” Ichijou flinched at that. Shiki pushed his sleeve up, holding his wrist out to the blond who stared at it conflicted. “Stop fighting it already. You act like you hate being a Vampire…”

Ichijou closed his eyes, pained. “It’s not… that. I feel like I’m taking advantage of you, Shiki. I’m being given so much, yet I still want _more_ … I-Isn’t it painful? Letting me drink from you while knowing this? I know how painful it is if the giver isn’t willing…”

“I’m _offering_ , Ichijou-San.” Shiki told him, correcting and trying to ease his fears. Ichijou opened his eyes, staring down at him with knitted eyebrows. “It’s okay… Besides, you’re hurting me by _not_ drinking. So hurry up and take it.”

Ichijou opened his mouth to say something, but closed it and turned his head away in response. His mouth felt dry at the thought, but he knew it would be futile whether he drank or not. He could hear the footsteps as Shiki neared. As the redhead reached his hand up Ichijou panicked, catching the male’s wrist in his hold. He swallowed thickly, throat parched and getting drier by the second.

The pulse… the feeling of the blood rushing…

Slowly Ichijou raised Shiki’s hand up to his mouth, leaning over slightly as he found himself tentatively dragging his tongue along the accented veins. Shiki gave no reaction, standing there in silence and watching unblinkingly as Ichijou started to breath heavily. “A… Are you sure about this?” He choked. Shiki nodded.

“Like how Ichijou-San lets me feed from him… Ichijou-San can feed off of me.”

There was a moment of silence before Shiki suddenly let out a gasp, Ichijou yanking on his arm and pressing him against him as he dove his head down and bit into Shiki’s neck without restraint. The redhead grunted, having not expected the fangs to pierce him so suddenly there, before relaxing into the blond’s hold. Ichijou drank greedily, gulp after gulp, and Shiki could feel some of his blood trail down his neck.

Ichijou’s tongue worked, pressing against the flesh and trying to prevent too much blood from leaking out from his mouth. He tried to level his breathing, to drink steadily instead of so quickly in order to prevent making another mess, but it was exceedingly difficult and he could feel the droplets trail down his chin and onto his clothes. His fingers pulled at Shiki’s shirt, the male wrapping his arms tightly around him and digging his fangs deeper into his neck.

Shiki let out a small noise in response before shifting, leaning his head back to give him more room and pulling tightly at Ichijou’s sleeves. “Take… as much as you need,” He gasped, closing his eyes tightly. “I won’t… let you hurt anymore.” He felt himself growing weak, the strength being sapped out of him as Ichijou drank.

Before long he slumped over, too tired to stand, and Ichijou knelt down with Shiki still in his grasp. He continued to drink, gulping and swallowing the sweet liquid without remorse. It was only when the model was on the verge of fainting that Ichijou pulled his fangs out of his throat, holding the redhead close and looking down at him worriedly when he didn’t move.

“Sh-Shiki?” He swallowed the remnants that were in his mouth, shaking the younger teen. “Hey, Shiki…” Still no response. The blond started to get a bit frantic, panicking at the thought that he might have accidentally drank too much, and bit down on his own hand quickly. Blood gushed out and he made to drop some of the liquid into Shiki’s mouth, but the redhead turned his head away. Ichijou’s eyes widened, relief washing over him. “You’re awake!”

“I won’t… take your blood… while you’re like this.” Shiki mumbled, exhausted. Ichijou frowned, ready to insist that he should, when the model tiredly reached into his pocket and pulled out his own medicine case. He opened it, tilted it over his mouth, and poured over half the tablets he had in the case into his mouth. Shiki chewed slowly, too tired to move normally, and swallowed.

Without a word he pushed himself up, pulling away from Ichijou, and brought a hand up to his neck where he was bit as the wounds healed. Ichijou watched in concern, holding his hands out to catch him in case Shiki fell. He watched the male stumble, sway, catch himself, and walk over to the door that led to his room as if nothing ever happened.

Ichijou paused, wondering why he hadn’t bothered trying to escape through Shiki’s room as the redhead had only locked the door that led to his room. A bead of sweat trailed down the side of Ichijou’s face, realizing he had been tricked. He was so frantic he had completely disregarded the other door. Better yet, why didn’t Shiki just sneak in from that door?

He pouted, calling out Shiki’s name and whining as he followed the redhead into his bedroom, only to stop and stare on in surprise when he saw the redhead was completely passed out on his bed. Smiling softly at the sight Ichijou closed his eyes and backed up, leaving Shiki to rest as he reentered the bathroom. He sighed and turned his head, smile dropping as he cast a glance at the shattered mirror.

His reflection was completely distorted; Ichijou could barely make out the blood covering his mouth. He headed over to the wash basin, turning on the faucet, and cupped his hands underneath the water before bringing his face down and washing the crimson off. He eventually decided to just wash his whole face, scrubbing until the remnants were all gone.

Ichijou pressed his fingers lightly against his lips, staring grimly at his shattered reflection. _It was only yesterday I had taken from Kaname…_ At least that, combined with what Shiki forced on him, was enough to let the blond relax. It’s disgusting how constantly he has to take from them. Ichijou leaned his head back, grinding his teeth together tightly as he squeezed his eyes shut. His fingers gripped the edge of the sink, pale knuckles turning white. _I’m fine. It’s fine._

Everything is fine.

The blond was struggling to level his breathing, freaking out, when his ears suddenly picked up on a knock. He inhaled sharply, turning his head, and stared in the direction the noise came from curiously. When the sound happened again Ichijou quickly pulled off his vest, dropping it in the sink as a reminder to himself to try and get the stains out later, and left the bathroom.

Carefully making his way past his collection piles of items that he had carefully organized to his own design and rules, he made his way into the livingroom to the front door where a familiar person patiently waited.

He hesitated before opening the door, able to tell who it was simply by the mixture of tropical fruits, the most dominate scents being pomegranate and mangos. When he did finally open the door, he was greeted by a five-foot four brunette. The girl gave him a small smile in greeting.

“Morning,” She told him. Ichijou grinned in response.

“Good morning! What brings you here, Eliza-Chan?” He prayed she wasn’t here to give him another lecture, as he was still trying to get over the last one. Her words had been daggers that pierced into his chest, for everything Ichijou had done to help had only made things worse. Thankfully, Kaname had at least given him permission to talk to Irene… if only at the dance. “Is there something you wanted to speak to me about? Oh! Or was it Shiki? He’s sleeping right now, so-”

“I don’t need to speak to Shiki-San, no,” She said, shaking her head. “I’m here because of you.” The blond blinked, tiling his head in confusion. “We’re going out into town.”

Ichijou was completely dumbfounded. “Pardon?”

The brunette grinned, blue glittering mischievously as she folded her arms over her chest. “You heard me; we’re going out into town. I already got permission from the Headmaster-he understands that you’re going through a tough time and we both agree that you just need a day to relax! All this stress isn’t helping-it’s just making you hungrier because it’s wearing down on your body. So that’s why we’re going out.”

“...Where are we going?” He was surprised, but seeing as the Headmaster had already given her access to leave campus he decided to just go along with it. What were the chances something bad could happen, anyway?

“Wherever,” She shrugged. “You like anime, right? I’m not too into it, but I heard from Chiharu-San who heard from Aidou that there’s this cosplay store or something. There’s this restaurant I’ve been meaning to try out, too, so we can go there if we get hungry. And then when we get back, I can show you some K-Dramas you might like. Seeing as you’re into artsy stuff, I think you’ll _really_ like _W_. There’s a lot of artwork in it as the main character is from a comic book, and the man who wrote the comic has a daughter who actually falls _into_ the comic and becomes a part of it. It’s really good!”

Amused by her enthusiasm Ichijou smiled, chuckling. “I really don’t have a choice in the matter, now do I?”

“Nope.” She smirked, “Now hurry it up.”

…

I stared at Rima in a mixture of awe and admiration, amazed by how easily and naturally she posed. She listened to the director’s instructions without so much as hesitation or trouble, knowing what he and the cameraman wanted and how to give it to them. Seeing as it was close to Fall, it being the fifth of September, they were doing a shoot to advertise some new Fall clothing.

Rima was dressed in shades of reds, with long flowy sleeves and a scarf around her neck. Ruffles were at the hem of her shirts, the top shirt a dark crimson and cutting off just underneath the chest and splitting off in the middle, wrapping around the sides with sleeves that flowed off the shoulders. The shirt attached to it and underneath was a light shade, almost pink, and fell to just below her hips. Beige jeans hugged her legs nicely, with a pair of brown boots reaching up to just below her knees.

Very little make-up decorated her face, a light sheen of pink coating her lips and blush on her pale cheeks, and her orange hair remained in their pig-tails. The only difference was that her long locks were now curled, falling down in waves. They had also painted her nails to her match her outfit, so they were now a lovely scarlet.

All in all, I was seriously debating my sexuality at this moment. She was an artistic _dream!_ My eyes were caught by her every moment, and I was left breathless by the way she moved. She was like an angel. When the shoot was finally over one of the stagecrew members brought Rima a water bottle, the model gratefully accepting it, and I was left staring even as she walked towards my direction.

She stopped in front of me, looking down at me unblinkingly, and offered the waterbottle. I could only look up at her with big eyes, and when I finally managed to regain my composure I couldn’t help myself but to blurt out, “C-Can I have your autograph!?” Rima blinked. I beamed, grinning so widely it hurt, and was unable to stop myself from waving my hands excitedly in the air as I hopped up-and-down. “You were so _cool!_ How long have you been modeling; have you always done it so effortlessly? You’re like a painting come to life!” Taking a deep breath I gasped and clamped my hands over my mouth, staring up at her with sparkling eyes. “You’re so cool…”

“...Thanks. Here.” I blinked when she plopped the water bottle into my hands, forcing me to take it. “I have two more shoots and then we can go.” It’s only been a few hours… modeling must be hard work. It looks a bit like fun though, just the way watching Rima do it makes it seem. What’s Shiki like when he models?

I never thought about it before, but ever since I found out about their jobs and that they actually hate photoshop I began to put more concern into it. Just imagine the competition there must be trying to get the requests to model for someone-I’ve seen _Skip Beat_ and read the manga for that, so I know there’s a lot of work involved, and the battle for the jobs was crazy. Was it like that in real life too?

The next shoot involved Rima wearing this orange-and-white flannel dress that stopped at mid-thigh with a brown dress jacket over top, tied together by a matching belt. Bracelets hung delicately off her left wrist, and they straightened the waves in her hair. Washing off the lipstick they applied lipgloss instead to give them a natural shine, and gave her a pair of black chunky boots that stopped mid-calf. Removing the nailpolish, they repainted them black.

After that it involved blue jeans and a yellow top, accompanied by a black jacket. All in all, Rima looked gorgeous in each one. God, what time is it now? I peeked a glance at my phone, seeing it was now almost two in the afternoon. Rima and I had left around five, so… ten hours? Dang. Has it really been that long?

Rima left to change back into normal clothes, and when she returned I handed the water bottle back to her. She took it, finished it, and threw it away. I asked Rima what we were going to be doing now, and she looked at me with tired eyes as she closed her umbrella to get into the car.

“Eating. Manager, just drop us off at the marketplace… we can make out way back to the Academy from there.” I followed Rima into the car, shutting the door, and put on my seatbelt as the Manager started up the vehicle.

“Are you sure? There’ve been rumors of people disappearing again…” She sounded worried, the woman casting a quick looked at Rima through the rearview mirror before focusing on the road again as she began to back out of the parking lot. “I don’t want something bad to happen to you two. Shiki-Kun will be upset if you got hurt…”

“It’s fine.”

I looked back-and-forth between the two, intrigued, and slightly bothered. _People are going missing…?_ I’ve seen pictures back in America about missing children and whatnot, but I’ve never been so close to an area of which people were actually being kidnapped.

The Manager heaved a sigh, completely exasperated. “Honestly, why I do bother trying sometimes…? You guys never want to accept my help unless it’s to drive you somewhere. Jeez.”

I looked at the woman worriedly before casting a nervous glance towards Rima, wondering if it was really alright for us to walk around with a kidnapper/murderer on the loose. I had a brief flashback to red eyes and sharp teeth, and tried to clear my mind of those thoughts. That model had seriously been scary, but… she didn’t seem like the type to kill someone. She was just a bully. And that dream… memory… whatever it was-It had to have just been a nightmare. I shouldn’t look too much into it.

The car ride lasted a good hour, so it was three o’clock when we arrived at the marketplace, and we quickly bid the Manager goodbye as we got out of the car. Rima carefully opened her umbrella, blocking the sunlight from hitting her, and I wondered if it was to make sure she remained pale. _Maybe she gets sunburned easily…?_ Some people just burn instead of getting tan; I know a couple people like that.

I decided not to ask and just followed her, the model seeming to have a certain place in mind. I followed her to the place we had went with Shiki the other day, but just as she was about to enter the restaurant she stopped. I blinked and watched as her nose twitched, the girl turning her head, and without explanation Rima whirled around and walked across the street towards a different food place.

She closed her umbrella, walked in, and I fumbled to catch up. Rima completely ignored the counterman, the wait line, and instead just continued into the building. I protested loudly, frantic and scared that we were going to get into trouble, but nobody seemed to notice. She walked as if she owned the place, and when I finally managed to grab onto her arm Rima had stopped in front of a table.

A table that just so happened to have a friend I hadn’t spoken to in a long time sitting there with multiples plates along the table, decorated and served as if she was there with a friend.   


	19. A Bleeding Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Of which Irene and Rima encounter Eliza at the restaurant, and Ichijou comes face-to-face with a little surprise....
> 
> "You like it here, don't you? Why would you want to leave Cross Academy?"

"Eliza!?" I stared at her in shock, frozen to the spot as I tried to process what I was seeing. She smiled, waving her hand at me as I peered at her from behind Rima, leaning over to the side and gaping openly at her. When was the last time I had seen her? "Y-You…"

Her eyes widened and Rima calmly stepped the side, watching first-hand as I tackled Eliza, wailing in English about how much I missed her. It took all I had not to cry, and Eliza had to brace her arm again the seat to prevent herself from falling sideways. I pulled away with my hands on her shoulders, giving her a trembling grin as my eyes stung.

"It's been _years_ , darling~! Where have you been!?"

"Tutoring," She stated, "I'm taking online classes and the amount of homework and studying I have to do is _ridiculous_ , and the girl I'm trying to help with geometry just doesn't get it. Granted it's difficult, so I understand that. What about you? Why haven't you visited?"

I opened my mouth to respond, before lowering my head and deflating as I pulled my arms away. I still remained on the seat, keeping one knee on the cushion with my other foot on my toes on the ground. "I… I'm pretty sure I'm not allowed to enter the Moon Dorms… I'm not a prefect like Skylar, so I'll probably get into trouble if I did." I still hope that one guard didn't get fired… "Oh! Wait! Do you know Rima-San!?" I quickly switched to Japanese, suddenly recalling my new ginger companion.

Rima blinked at being mentioned, having moved to behind the seat Eliza was in and leaning against it, and I gestured to her and then back at my blue-eyed friend.

"She's really nice! Eliza, Rima-San, Rima-San, Eliza! Did you know Rima-San models!? She took me with her to the shoot and it was _so cool!_ " I beamed, waving my hands in the air for a moment before curling them my chest. As I spoke Eliza raised a hand in the air, lowering it with an amused grin to gesture for me to not talk so loud.

"I've met Rima-San, yes. We talk occasionally."

I deflated, slightly disappointed that this wasn't their first meeting. That meant Eliza already knew everything I was going to tell her. "O-Oh… Okay."

"Why are you so sad?" She laughed, "You act like it's a bad thing!"

"I-It's not! So, wait, are you guys friends?" I looked at her and then at Rima, who gave a small shrug of indifference. "Just… acquaintances?"

"Well, we're not strangers." Eliza told me. "I know her better than I do Shiki-San though." So she knows him, too? Hold on… they're all Night Class. Duh. Now I feel stupid. "How's your classes going? Still having trouble with math?" I moved, standing up and stepping back awkwardly at her question. She raised an eyebrow.

"I… I'm doing… good, I guess." Should I tell her? My throat started to close up, finding it much more difficult to bring up the subject of my departure to someone I cared about rather than to Shiki, who had practically been a stranger at the time. Eliza would probably be accepting of it, but I knew Skylar would try to convince me to stay. What would be the reason to staying, anyway?

Everyone is avoiding me and everyone except a select few are hiding things from me. Even if I regain all my memories, who is to say the last ones I regain are going to be good ones? What if Ichijou and I really _did_ have a fight and that's why he pretended not to know me? E-Everything I learned and recalled were pleasant memories, but… there has to be a bad one in there somewhere, right? If that's the case it would be best if I just left, wouldn't it? It's going to happen eventually now that Fujita Sakura is gone; why postpone the inevitable?

"...Is something wrong?" Eliza paused before asking, frowning at me. "Did something happen?"

"W-Well, not…" I shifted uncomfortably underneath her and Rima's stare, and wondered if it would be bad to bring it up now. I fiddled with my fingers, pulling on them nervously before running my thumb across my knuckles. "Not really. I-I just…"

"Does it have to do with the cuts on your face?"

"Wh-What?" I blinked, startled, and fervently shook my head. "N-No! No, that has-that has nothing to do with it!"

…

She was here. She was here and in the restaurant. The smell of blood was faint, but it was enough to try and drive him crazy. He dug his fingers into his arms, pulling at his sleeves and nearly sliding down the wall as his heart beat frantically within his chest. He had taken so much blood today, but even though he had finally been able to calm down and relax out in public around other Humans he found it quite difficult to maintain that composure when _she_ waltzed in, coated with the scent of blood.

His lips curled back, fangs attempting to protrude out of his mouth with the intention of sinking into a soft neck. _No!_ Ichijou leaned forward and then promptly slammed his back against the wall, breathing heavily as he tried to calm down. _Just breathe…_ He can't snap now-not when he finally regained an ounce of control. The smell was faint, so it must have just been another injury…

Irene gets hurt on a daily basis, so that means it was probably a small cut that was still scabbing over. Getting so lustful over such a small wound…

Ichijou reached into his pants pocket, pulling out the case and popping multiple tablets into his mouth. He chewed, a disgusted and pained expression forming on his face. Oh, how wonderful her blood must taste compared to this… No. No, he's not going to think like that. She _isn't_ prey. Irene was his friend and beyond that a fragile Human.

He's not going to eat her.

"-cuts on your face?"

Ichijou paused, sensitive hearing picking up on the conversation despite how far away they were. He tilted his head, waiting-no, _anticipating_ hearing her voice in a fashion that was almost desperate. How long has it been since they talked? Since he heard her speak? It was almost ridiculous at how frantic he was to see her again. He was already acting so pathetic when it came to her blood, but… despite how a century often felt like a few days to a Vampire with their long lifelines, it felt as though years had passed in the time he's spent starving.

"Irene-Chan…" The blond muttered, gingerly pushing himself up into a standing position and slowly making his way towards the door. He wanted to see her again, to speak to her. She was right _there_ and the dace was way too far away for his liking. What if she didn't remember anything about him by then? What if by speaking to her now she'll recall _something_ about him? That's all he needed for the deal with Kaname to work out, right? Just one memory?

He also wanted to apologize in person. Ichijou wanted to explain everything, to tell her the reasons why he had acted like he did, avoiding her and pretending not to know her, but he would settle for a simple "hello". She was at the table he and Eliza had been eating at after all; it would be odd if he didn't at least greet her.

Ichijou was about ready to unlock the door and open it when he froze, the organ within his chest nearly skipping a beat when he heard it.

"-has nothing to do with it!" Frantic. Scared… _Why are you scared, Irene-Chan? Aren't you supposed to be happy now?_

"But then how did you get them? I know you; I know _how_ you get hurt, but I've never seen you with a busted lip or any kind of facial injury before!"

His eyes widened and his fingers, which were now pressing against the wood of the door, tore into the material. Irritation and anger ate away inside of him, red coloring the edges of his vision as his lips started to curl back. _If someone attacked her again…_

"I'm _fine_." The girl insisted. "Some random girl just got slap-happy after dumping her drink on me. It's okay."

"It is _not_ okay! My god, Irene; why didn't you do anything!? Did you fight back?"

"...Does being sarcastic count?"

"Did you at least tell an authority?"

"...Does Rima-San and Shiki-San's Manager count?"

"No. No, it does not."

"God dang it…"

The feeling of his lips twitching upwards almost hurt, a warmth spreading within his chest at the same time as a painful ache, a mixture of emotions flowing through him at the familiar situation. She was so close… yet still so far out of his reach. Would he really be able to talk to her at all? He can't even make his feet move anymore. Ichijou was completely paralyzed.

 _If she's still acting the same… surely everyone was wrong?_ Ichijou had been right all along; Irene _was_ better off without him. Shiki must have just been lying to get him to open their bathroom door after all… _I can't believe I fell for such a silly trick. I really am getting too distracted by all this._ He shook his head, hair falling into his face, and pulled his hand away from the door.

He had Eliza's number; he could message her and let her know he wouldn't be in the restaurant. There were plenty of windows he could sneak out from and, even if there wasn't, he could make an exit. He shouldn't risk staying here any longer when he had so little control.

"-what did you want to ask me then?"

Ichijou tried to tune them out, making his way over to his escape route, and was in the process of opening it when he heard something that made him freeze.

"What… What would your reaction be if I left Japan?"

…

I had difficulty getting the words out, choking on my very own voice as I attempted to speak. I was scared, frightened even, and I didn't really know why. I blamed it on my own paranoia, questioning everything and even my own self state of mind. How would Eliza react if I left? Would she attempt to stop me? Or would she really just accept my decision and… let me go?

"Do you _want_ to leave Japan?" She questioned, raising an eyebrow at me. She propped an elbow up on the table, curling her fingers against her cheek as her blue eyes stared at me inquiringly, a skeptical look on her face.

"I…" I went silent, my mind going completely blank as I processed what she said. Did I _want_ to leave Japan? I certainly had no reason to stay, that's true, but… for me to want to remain here? Would I be allowed to stay here if that was the case? For the simple, selfish reason that I wanted to stay… would the Headmaster allow it?

A face flashed in my mind and I found myself thinking that _no_ , I _did_ want to stay. I wanted to learn more about Ichijou Takuma. I wanted to speak to Rima and Shiki, to become friends with them, and I wanted to recall the rest of my memories. I had held those memories dear and I had lost them… and knowing that I did and that Ichijou had been someone I greatly cared about hurt like hell.

I didn't want to give him up. He was _my_ friend. He was someone I had trusted and that takes a lot of hard work. So if I ever do remember, he better feel guilty as all flip for avoiding me. I'm going to give him the biggest lecture possible, and I-

I froze, forcefully snapped out of my thoughts when a pair of strong, hauntingly familiar arms wrapped around my shoulders, a chest slamming into my back and nearly knocking me over. I remembered this happening before, so many times it was uncountable, and my heart thudded painfully and loudly inside of my chest.

"You can't!" A voice cried, male and worried and something I had thought I would only hear in my memories. It was like music, the sound of it just so beautiful to me for reasons I could not fathom, and I found it hard to breathe as my eyes began to burn. "You can't leave Japan!"

_Ba-Dump. Ba-Dump._

Slowly I turned my head, but I could only remain stiff as I was met with a faceful of blond hair, the man having buried his face in my neck. He quickly pulled away, arms still wrapped around my shoulders, and his eyes- _oh god his eyes_ \- looked at me with so many emotions. They were so much more enchanting in person, and as mine met his the world just seemed to stop and go temporarily grey. 

Everyone else in the restaurant stopped existing; the building itself wasn't even known to me anymore. All I could focus on was the person in front of me- who he was, the way he was looking at me, and the fact that he was _here_. The world faded in-and-out, and after a few moments of shaky breathing I was able to see color again. His acacia honey blond hair fell into his face in light waves, curling against his cheeks and neck, and the scarlet red hues shone in the emeralds in his eyes, dangerously beautiful and even more so than I had remembered.

Ichijou Takuma was here… and he was talking to me. My eyes widened in shock, and I was left standing there dumbfounded. "W… What?" He's… talking to me. The man who had avoided me so constantly was… talking to me _._ "W-Wait, what?" He's staring right at me… god, has he always been so tall? I feel so small next to him.

Wait… why _is_ he talking to me? A-Am… Am I imagining things? Why would the person who had avoided me suddenly do all this? I could feel the warmth radiating off of his body as he held onto me, arms wrapped around my shoulders so tightly as if he were afraid to let go. This person… what was he thinking? No… what did he just say to me a few moments ago? _He said…_

Registering his words I blinked away the tears stinging my eyes and asked in a shaky voice, "Wh-Why not?" Why was I not allowed to leave Japan? For what reason did he want to keep me here? He who had avoided me, _he_ who had pretended that we never spoke… "Why can't I leave?" Forget Shiki's words… I want to hear from this person himself what he thought.

"Because!" Was Ichijou's argument, "You like it here, don't you? Why would you want to leave Cross Academy?"

I faltered at his words, unable to think up a decent response. "I…" I don't _want_ to leave Cross Academy. I don't want to leave Japan… but nobody was giving me any good reason to try and convince the Headmaster to let me stay. With the way things were going, it seemed that leaving was actually the best option. "I… I never said I was leaving," I told him, voice cracking and going up in pitch. "I-I just said that as a-a "what if"."

Ichijou looked startled at my words and retracted his arms, but pulled away just enough so that only his right hand remained on my left shoulder. He looked lost. I decided that what I said was a good "neutral" answer and chose to remain with it. I wasn't going to leave just yet, not unless the Headmaster decided that I would, but until I had a good enough reason to stay I would not protest to leaving Japan if that was the Headmaster's wish.

"B-Besides," I found myself continuing, trying my darnest to ignore the excruciating ache within my chest,"Even if I wanted to stay, I don't have any reason to. The Headmaster-" My voice broke, high in pitch and all other words catching in my throat. I tensed, realizing I said too much, and quickly pulled away as I brought my hands up to my face. I wiped at my tears frantically, swallowing thickly as I tried to calm down.

It was Eliza's voice that had snapped me out of my panic, and as she spoke I attempted to control my shallow breathing as hiccups attempted to form. I stared at the brunette, my heart on the verge of collapsing into despair, as she questioned in confusion, "The Headmaster?"

Rima narrowed her eyes and turned to stare at me, frowning, while Ichijou looked at his right hand with a conflicted gaze, the blond male tensing just slightly. The red hues that had been in his eyes increased in size and color, the emerald threatening to be overrun by the crimson.

Eliza continued in her interrogation and I tried not to cower at the confrontation. "What does the he have to do with anything?"

I had to force myself to focus on her, pointedly looking away from Ichijou as I knew that if I didn't I wouldn't be able to keep my eyes off of him. Perhaps I was being biased, fixated on him completely due to my obsession of finding out my true relationship with him because of my amnesia, or maybe-in a highly unlikely scenario-Skylar was right in my feelings towards him, but Ichijou Takuma was even more beautiful than Shiki and Rima combined.

And seeing him make such a conflicted, pained expression… it really hurt me inside. My heart was still pounding like crazy, and while I was looking away from him I was all to aware of his nearby presence. I wasn't too entirely sure if I was afraid or incredibly relieved that I could see and speak to him after so long of wondering.

"Th-That is…" I had to force the words out, clinging tightly onto my fingers as my hands began to shake. The world around me was starting to blur from the liquids stinging my eyes. "I-"

" _No._ Irene-no." Eliza quickly sat up straight, giving me a stern glare as she pointed at me. "You are _not_ crying. Stop that; _no_. Irene! I said stop it! You are either going to stop crying or you are going to shut up! Write it down on paper if you have to-you are _not_ crying."

"I-I'm sor-"

" _Why_ are you apologizing? Just shut up and stop crying!"

I bit down on my lip, only to soon regret that decision as pain wracked that soft muscle and the taste of iron went all over my tongue. I cringed, feeling like I should apologize at least four more times, but lowered my head and simply nodded. A sob was easily building up in my throat, but I tried to control it.

It wasn't the first time Eliza and I had a conversation like this; I would often try to explain to her the plot of a game I had played or an anime/manga I had watched/read and she would get "mad" at me whenever I started crying-or, to be more precise- _blubbering_ halfway through the storytelling. I always felt like I had to explain, even when she told me to shut up so I would stop crying, and even though now I had said too much I didn't want to lie. I _needed_ to explain to her-even if she said she hated seeing me cry.

I opened my mouth to try again, finally regaining a bit of my courage, but she continued to lecture me. "I said _no_ , Irene! Just sit down and shut up; here, eat this-!" She pushed one of the few plates in front of her across the table towards me, causing me to blink. "You look like you haven't eaten in days."

I hesitated at her words, finding them to be everything true, and out of fear of her getting angry or too terribly concerned I began, "That's because-"

"She hasn't." I flinched when Rima spoke. Her tone was cold and blunt. I wanted to curl underneath a table from embarrassment and humiliation, and upon feeling Ichijou's stare on me I actually debated doing so. His gaze was like fire, unable to be ignored and just so _there_. I was completely conscious of him and it was greatly agitating me. Him being here was making me incredibly anxious and antsy.

"I-I'm not hungry," I told them lamely, shrinking underneath all their gazes. I could see a few bystanders casting curious glances this way, overhearing the conversation and/or just taking interest due to the three Night Class students' beauty. I could make out a whisper or two here and there. I folded my arms underneath my chest, hugging myself close as I thought about different ways to get out of this situation.

Unfortunately, due to how flustered I was at the moment, I could only come up with the most obvious of responses. Eliza and Rima's stares were so intense and Ichijou… I didn't really understand, but casting a quick glance at him all I could make out was a gaze filled with overwhelming amounts of concern.

"I… I did eat, though! The-The-The other day! When… When I went out with Shiki-San and Rima-San I had food!"

Nobody looked like they believed me. Rima knew exactly when I had last ate, and if Ichijou and Eliza both knew when that was I could only assume Shiki or the ginger model herself had told them. Rima, not taking any of the bullcrap I was spitting out from behind my teeth, bluntly stated, "That was two days ago…"

"S-Still!" I had still fought to argue, not wanting to back down or give into defeat, but before I knew it a hand wormed itself around my arm. Electricity jolted up through the limb from where I was touched and I had nearly jumped right out of my skin. The hand pulled, tugging me towards the seat opposite of Eliza, and Ichijou inhaled sharply when I stumbled.

I yelped when I almost crashed into him and I protested loudly when he forced me to sit down. The male leaned over, one hand on the tabletop and the other on top of the seat so I couldn't escape. He kept a knee bent over, resting it on the seat's cushion so I would be unable to crawl away.

I tried to sit up, but I quickly froze when I took notice of the proximity. _T-Too close!_ I could feel the hate radiating off of his body, Ichijou was practically hovering over me due to our positions. He looked partially surprised, if only for a short moment, and the vermillion had almost completely taken over his eyes. He closed his shockingly red orbs and gave me a beaming smile.

"Sorry, sorry~!" He apologized, not seeming apologetic at all. "But you really should eat. I'll fetch the waiter for you so you can order, and once your food comes Rima and I will leave so not to disturb you any longer. Is that alright? You'll be able to spend more time with Eliza-Chan that way!"

It was at his words that Rima stood up straight, pulling her arms away from the wood of the seat and narrowing her eyes at him. She looked at the blond with a frown. "Eh…? Ichijou-San, you can't make that decision… I already told Shiki-"

"Who is _sleeping_!" Ichijou quickly cut in, quickly standing up with a grin. He stepped back, and the moment he did I took that chance to scoot as far away as possible from him. My heart thudded loudly in my chest, aching and warm and scared all at the same time.

I pressed myself against the wall, a hand curled against my chest as I attempted to calm my racing, confused heart. I was relieved he had moved away, uncertain of how to react or deal with the situation, but at the same time I felt a little disappointed… Weird.

I watched as Ichijou waved a hand dismissively at Rima, his eyes remaining purposefully closed as he continued smiling. I wasn't entirely sure, but looking at him now made me wonder why his smile looked so forced. "It's fine, Rima~! Shiki won't mind."

"I'm not leaving," Rima stated, disappointment clear in her eyes as she looked at him. I was startled by the look she wore, having not seen such a look on her before. For what reason could she have that made her look at Ichijou in such a way? Rima's voice hardened as she finished, "and neither are you."

Ichijou's eyes opened in surprise, a small sound escaping him from shock. Most of the red was gone now, but a few specs still shone brightly within his emerald orbs. I wondered if his surprise had something to do with it. I looked at Eliza questioningly, hoping she could explain as to why Rima was being so forceful in keeping Ichijou here, but the brunette completely ignored me. Instead, she looked at the two of them with a cool, almost indifferent gaze.

"Will you two just sit down already?" She asked. Eliza looked exhausted, and her eyelids fluttered halfway closed as they gazed at them tiredly. "You're gaining attention."

I stiffened at her words, finally taking notice at just how many people were looking over at us. Nearly everyone in the restaurant was staring in our direction, muttering under their breath to each other. Some looked annoyed, other were curious, few were just glancing in awe. I could make out a few words, and it wasn't too terribly hard to piece together that they were startled by the Night Class trio's beauty.

I just sunk further into the seat, attempting to hide from the world as I really wanted to be back in my dorm room. I liked attention, but not in this way. My hands started to shake, tears stinging my eyes as my heart rate increased in fear and paranoia, and I watched with wavering patience as the scene continued to unfurl.

Ichijou looked like he had been smacked to the face. He closed his eyes, inhaling deeply and trying for another smile as he walked over to Eliza. He gestured for her to scoot over, planning to sit down beside her, but Eliza shook her head.

"Your food is on that side of the table," She told him, frowning, "Did you forget where you sat?"

I stared at the brunette with big eyes, startled by how sassy she was. Eliza must be in a bad mood today… maybe she woke up on the wrong side of the bed? I do that quite often. Well, normally I fall off the bed when I wake up, but the point still stands.

"Th-That is…" Ichijou began, hesitating, before nodding and reluctantly moving to sit next to me. He kept a noticeable distance between us as he sat down, and I felt myself being hit with a mixture of confused emotions at that. There was a huge gap between us, so to avoid any possible physical contact, and since I was unsure of what I wanted to do or say I simply pressed myself closer to the wall, a lump forming thickly in my throat.

The tension in the air was heavy and suffocating, and I could feel the stress weigh down on me. My fingers tapped nervously against my thigh in an erratic rhythm, and I found myself becoming slightly breathless in my panic. A part of me wished I brought my rescue inhaler with me.

I looked nervously at the man beside me, still questioning how this was even happening and _why_. Wasn't he avoiding me? Why was he here now? He and Eliza must have come here together; that much was obvious. But that didn't explain as to why he was talking to me and acting so friendly. _"Chan"?_

If you were pretending to not know someone, wouldn't you avoid calling them by such a familiar term? He didn't even want to be here, right? He tried to leave, but Rima forced him to stay. That was a big sign of him saying that he didn't want to be here. He probably didn't want to be anywhere near me.

Rima and Eliza stared at us, and I knew that they probably found the way Ichijou and I were acting as completely ridiculous. Eliza shook her head incredulously at us while Rima closed her eyes, dismissive but also disappointed. When she opened them again her electric orbs locked onto the blond, staring at him as if daring him to do something.

Ichijou's movements were completely stiff as he raised a hand up, turning his head and calling out to the waiter who had been serving them before Rima and I showed up. "Ah, yes, um, is it alright we have another menu? Two of our friends arrived unexpectedly and they wish to eat with us…"

"Yes, of course." The waiter bowed. "I'll be right back." With that he walked off and I found myself staring at Ichijou disbelievingly. He wasn't… seriously going to make me eat, right? I'm not even hungry. Rima certainly needs food, but me? I'm fine. I had a bit of my lunch yesterday, granted that much alone was hard for me to eat…

"You can give the menu to Rima-San," I tentatively spoke up, causing Ichijou to jump and look down at me in surprise. His emerald eyes were wide, and as he looked down at me the red specs in his eyes gradually faded. "I'm not hungry."

The frown he gave me was almost instantaneous, guilt and displeasure shining in his eyes so vividly only an idiot would be unable to see it. The exact second I told him I wouldn't eat I knew I had made a mistake; I didn't know how or why, but I knew from that moment he would argue. We were both stubborn and if it meant I would get better, this person beside me would talk back until I gave in.

I wasn't wrong either. I was proven to be right when he spoke up, eyes intense and expression almost pleading.

"You're eating," He told me, frowning deeply. His gaze locked onto mine and I went silent at his stare, no words coming out of my mouth. My head pounded as I stared at him, our gazes locking, and my vision faded to black-and-white, blurring, before returning to color again. "Please," He began in a softer tone of voice, smiling ever-so-slightly. "Don't argue with me on this, Irene-Chan…"

I was speechless, only able to stare. I searched his eyes for an answer, for anything that would help me come up with a response, but all I could make out was the immense regret. "I… I don't have any money on me…"

"Don't worry about it," He said, shoulders relaxing in relief. "I'll handle that."

Eliza sighed from the other side of the table. "Just let him pay for it, Irene; you really do need to eat something. You don't look so good…"

My head turned and I stared at her in shock. "Wh… What do you mean?" I thought I had been doing better; the swelling in my eyes finally went down and my dark circles were beginning to fade. I actually attempted to dress nicely today. Compared to how I had been before, I thought this was improvement…

"You look like you're going to fall over any minute and pass out," She stated bluntly. I tried not to flinch at her words.

"B-But I…" I deflated, trailing off. I was too worn to think of a decent way out of this situation. I bit the inside of my cheek, pouting as I sunk down into my seat, and reluctantly gave in to defeat. "Fine…" I cast a glance at Ichijou, the blond blinking down at me curiously. "Th… Thank you. S-Sorry… about this."

"It's… It's quite alright. Oh-! Thank you." The waiter had reappeared, handing Ichijou a menu. The blond took it from him gratefully, handing it to me, and the waiter gave Rima the other one he had been holding. As I grabbed the menu from Ichijou my fingers accidentally brushed his, electric bolts shooting from my fingertips and up my arm to my shoulders, going all the way through to my neck and up to my head. "I-Irene-Chan!?"

I had recoiled the moment I'd been shocked, nearly falling over from the sudden nausea. Scenes flashed through my mind, but they didn't tell me all that I had wished to know. They revealed enough, whispering to me about how this had happened before. A similar situation…

 _Dinner… at the Headmaster's._ Eating with his family and… with my friends. _S-Skylar was there… and so was Ichijou!_ I had dropped the menu onto the table, staring at my hand intently for a moment before I turned to look up at the blond in an almost trance-like state. I was dazed, not really focusing on reality or my actions as I outstretched my left hand towards him.

My vision faded in-and-out of monochrome, darkness threatening to envelop my sight the moment my fingers lightly grazed his right cheek. Ichijou blinked, inhaling sharply, before he let out a deep breath and leaned into the touch. His breathing became calm and relaxed as he closed his eyes, reaching his own hand up and resting it over mine.

Everything Skylar said suddenly made sense. I _had_ spoken to the Headmaster multiple times before and the reason he was so familiar with me was because I used to stay at his place while I was sick. Ichijou often came to visit in the mornings and even came by in the evenings, always arriving in time for breakfast and lunch, and we'd joke and talk and he'd help me study… If it wasn't for Ichijou always being there I would have been completely alone…

Skylar was always so busy with her prefect duties and Eliza her classes, and I didn't have any other friends here in Japan. I barely even spoke to Yuuki or Sayori, and it's not like I talk to anyone in my classes. Aside from the two girls and Ichijou, I… didn't really have anyone else here in Japan.

And then, before I knew it, I had lost one. If it wasn't for Shiki and Rima's help, I doubted I'd even be able to properly remember him. Would I have ever made it this far in recovering my memories if I was by myself? Just how much farther do I have to go in order to recall the rest of the details about him and our time together?

Not to mention the rest of the Night Class… Aside from Shiki and Rima, have I spoken to _any_ of the other students before? Souen had acted a lot like we knew each other… or at least like she's seen me/heard of me before. I… I want to know. I _need_ to know. I'm… I'm so close. I can feel it. I'm just… I'm just missing something vital.

 _A key memory…_ My thumb brushed lightly against the skin of his cheek, feeling the smoothness of his delicate face. His hair was soft and tickled my fingers. I felt so lightheaded-airy, even. This important person… looking and being so close to him now the empty gap inside my chest started to fill. It nearly made me wonder why I felt so lost in the first place. _I just need a key memory…_

There was always that one piece, right? The one vital piece of information that would release all the rest and give you everything you wanted to know? I just… need to find it…

Something soft pressed against the palm of my hand and I blinked a few times, snapping out of my thoughts and breaking out of my daze. My eyes widened, watching as Ichijou pulled his lips away from my palm and instead nuzzling his face against my hand. A small smile was spread across his lips, his eyes closed with a peaceful expression resting on his face.

I was paralyzed. After a few moments of silence Ichijou took notice of how stiff I was and opened his eyes, staring down at me with the warmest of gazes, before blinking in surprise. "Ah… sorry. You were staring and I-I'm afraid I got caught up in the moment… Eh? Irene-Chan, your face is red!"

He pulled his hand away from mine, instead reaching out to cup my face. He looked quite happy. Another jolt went down my spine as goosebumps spread across my skin and I reeled away, alarmed and flustered for reasons I could not fathom. _Wh-What is he doing!?_ Breathe. Stay calm, Irene. Just… relax. It's okay.

His eyes widened at my reaction and he retracted his hand, hurt flashing across his face and vanishing so fast it made me question if I ever really saw it there in the first place. "M-My apologies…" Ichijou turned away, slightly embarrassed as he scratched as his cheek with a finger. His face was a light pink as he picked up one of the menus. "I-It's only natural you would react that way; not many people would respond too kindly to a total stranger touching them like that out of the blue…" He muttered under his breath. "Though I wouldn't necessarily call us that…" I almost didn't hear the last part.

"It's… It's fine," I stammered, certain my face was a dark red. Wasn't he supposed to be acting like we didn't know each other? Just what did he mean by that?

The way Rima and Eliza were staring at me wasn't helping much, as it only confirmed my fears that I was blushing. I can't recall a time I've been so flustered. On the bright side, I don't think I was the only one at that moment who wanted to hide underneath the table to get away from them. Ichijou suddenly spoke up.

"Um, you should order! You like plainer food, don't you?" He kept his gaze pointedly away from me, practically burying his nose into the menu. His words confused me, but hearing him say that made a lightbulb go off in my head. He just screwed up in his act right there… not just when he was whispering, but when he asked me that question.

I resisted the urge to bite on my lip, instead leaning just a bit closer as I craned my neck to look up at him. He was extremely tall… so unfair. I had a brief moment of recall to us walking beside each other, my head residing on his arm. "How come… How come you know what kind of food I like if we've never met each other before?"

Ichijou stopped breathing when I said that. Slowly, he turned his head and I was left to stare up at him innocently, expectantly awaiting an answer. He couldn't hide or run; I have Shiki, Rima, _and_ Skylar to back me up on this, not to mention all those Day Class girls I heard whispering in the halls back at the dorm.

His green eyes were intense, staring down at me with a mixture of emotions. When he reached out to me this time I didn't panic, allowing him to cup my face with his hands as I remained still. I could hear my heart pound, racing within my chest, and it was difficult maintaining a straight face with him staring at me the way he was.

"How much do you know…?" He asked quietly. The edges around his eyes became a bit watery-like the blond was going to start crying at any second. "Just who-"

A loud obnoxious squeal caused him to recoil away, the male almost flinching at the sound. I blinked, a bit irritated at the newcomer for ruining my chance at getting the answers I needed, and leaned over to see who it was. _Another fangirl waitress? How many of those are there?_

I've never met so many fangirls in my life until Cross Academy, I swear, and the fangirls I _have_ met before were only over fictional characters or K-pop band members. I'm still trying to get over the shock of the girl who had fangirled over Shiki, and he was a _model_. It's just… weird trying to adjust to, and I'm normally able to adapt to most situations despite my hate for change.

The new fangirl waitress quickly maneuvered her way over, not wasting any time, and stopped in front of our table. She gazed at Ichijou with figurative hearts in her eyes, blushing head to toe, and I knew right away that she had massive crush on him. Oddly enough, the knowledge made me feel a bit uncomfortable. "Upperclassman Ichijou-! W-What are you doing here; a-aren't you supposed to be in class right now?"

...What time is it right now? Five? The drive from the shoot to the marketplace took at least a decent hour, and we could have only been in here for a little over one hour. It was two when we left, so… yeah. It should be around four something now. The girl must not go to school around here or something unless she was allowed to leave class early for work.

The girl had long, light brown hair tied into one big braid that dangled off of her shoulder. Her eyes were a pleasant gray, but compared to most of the beauties I've seen recently she looked rather average. Even Yuuki was prettier than normal and she was just as average as me and this girl… uh, _Natsume?_

I hoped I read the kanji on her nametag correctly.

"Oh, uh, well, you see-" The blond nervously began, clearly having not expected this, when the girl's eyes landed on me. The joy in her storm-colored orbs vanished instantly and the daggers sent my way were so sudden it took me off guard.

"You're not on a date, are you?" Her voice had become so cold it was hard to imagine this was the same timid girl from a few moments ago. "You could do so much better…" She muttered, and I heard her say something after that, but it was too quiet for me to pick up. I debating how sarcastic I should be or if I should go with the dense act when Ichijou suddenly smiled brightly. The weirdest part was, it didn't even seem like a friendly smile.

"I'm afraid you're mistaken," He told her, causing her to look at him confused before her face lit up with hope. "I'm _not_ on a date with Irene-Chan, as you can clearly see by Eliza-Chan and Rima across from me, but if I were I can assure you that I wouldn't regret it. She's really a very sweet girl; I quite enjoy her way with words." He chuckled and I looked at him blankly, wondering if he was making fun of me. "So please, don't go insulting her in such a way. She's the farthest thing _from_ what you insinuated."

"I…" The poor girl was dumbstruck. "I didn't mean…"

Oh god, the smile he gave her next just about killed it. It was clear he had no friendly vibes towards the girl, but the grin itself was just so bright it was nearly blinding. The worst part was that while he was clearly angry about something, he still looked like an angel in disguise.

No, that isn't right. He may look like an Angel, but the truth of the matter was that Ichijou was nothing less than a Devil. The sweet way he would deliver insults with such an innocent smile, and the way he would make a rude comment without you even realizing… I tried to ignore the annoying feeling of my heart racing faster, biting the inside of my cheek as I watched the scene continue to unfold.

"Of course not!" Ichijou beamed, though his eyes still failed to reach his smile. "A lovely young lady like you would never mean to say something like that; you must have just been confused. Oh, seeing as our waiter is taking a long time to come back, will it be alright if you take our orders for us? My dear friend here would like an _Oyako-Don_ and Rima-what do you want?"

"...Miso Ramen."

"Perfect!" He looked back at Natsume, who looked a little like she was going to cry and like she didn't know how to feel all at the same time. I didn't blame her; Ichijou was quite adept at comebacks. The girl stood there, taking a while to snap out of her shock, before scrambling to write down on her notepad what Ichijou had asked for.

She didn't bother to stay after she took the orders, power-walking as fast as she could out of there. I felt a bit bad for her, imagining myself in her position and how it must have felt to be in her shoes. Anyone would react the same way… Just what did she say that made Ichijou so angry?

I stared up at him curiously, knitting my eyebrows together as I tried to figure out what was going on inside his head. He was complicated character, that was for sure… though I doubted he was anywhere near Shiki's level of complicated. That model was as hard to read as a blank canvas. "A… Are you okay?" I asked hesitantly. Ichijou blinked, looking down at me with raised eyebrows. He looked surprised. "Why-Why did you get so mad?"

"Shouldn't've I?" He asked, his smile becoming a little more genuine. His expression softened and I risked a glance at Eliza and Rima to see what they thought of the situation, but the two girls were engaged in conversation with Eliza typing away on her phone, Rima quietly telling the brunette her phone number. "It wouldn't be right if I just sat there and let her continue to insult you like that."

I blinked, tilting my head slightly at his words. I was befuddled. "But.. it's not like she was wrong. If you had to go on a date with someone I would probably be the worst choice." Lack of experience being one of the main reasons, not to mention how horrible my company is. Though, thinking on it, I have been told I have a sort of calming effect on people despite my bubbliness.

I don't know exactly what I did to change her mind, but Mira Alexeev-a really good, close childhood friend of Skylar's- had used to think me annoying. She said she didn't know _why_ she thought I was annoying and claimed that it was probably because she heard people say it was so quite often, and having not spoken to me it was the only impression she had.

It made sense, as the mind was something that could be easily tricked, and after the Band had went to Disney World to march in a parade we spent some of the days together and became friends. Mira was really nice, though was as honest and blunt as could be and if she didn't like you she would tell you straight to your face what she thought of you. Her humor was a lot like Skylar's, dark and perverted, but while that was so she was still pretty cool.

Ichijou's appalled voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "How could you say that!? Irene-Chan, you're wonderful to be around! Don't you think so, Rima? Eliza-Chan?" Oh no… I groaned dramatically and buried my face in my hands.

I wanted to curl underneath the table. Where was a trashcan to sit beside when I needed it? Did he have to bring them into the conversation? I was only being semi-serious.

Rima pulled her eyes away from Eliza's phone, looking at me, and said in her usual dismissive voice, "Terrier-San is… pleasant. Loud, but… I don't hate having her around." Oh. That's… That's actually really nice of her to say. Bringing my hands away from my face I looked at her in surprise, having not expected her to say such a kind thing.

Eliza just looked at me incredulously, and a little bit like she wanted to slap me for saying such a thing. "We've been over this, Irene-you're not a bad person. You're loud and your voice gets really high to the point where some random people want to punch you, but I still like you."

So I'm told… hmm. Perhaps that's why everyone seems convinced that my _Harry Potter_ house would be Hufflepuff. I once asked what I would be if I wasn't that, and they said that if I wasn't a Hufflepuff I would still be a Hufflepuff. I found it rather funny, actually. "O-Oh… okay. Um…" I blinked, thinking deeply for a moment. I looked back at Ichijou. "What did she say that made you so angry?"

"Eh? O-Oh, you shouldn't worry about that." He waved his hand dismissively at me, causing me to frown at him.

"Why not?"

"B-because! It's nothing important. Ah, that's right!" He grinned widely, suddenly gaining an idea. I leaned back in alarm when he moved closer, holding an index finger up excitedly as he asked, "Do you know what you're going to be wearing for the upcoming dance? Shiki and I plan on going shopping for suits next week just a few days before the event."

Eliza sighed, propping her hand against her chin. "I doubt she's even planning on going." Ichijou looked alarmed at that, meanwhile Rima looked at me curiously. I felt a bit like a deer-in-headlights. _Dance… wait, what dance?_ I blinked dumbly, not understanding. A thought then hit me- _Didn't some of the Day Class girls say something about an upcoming dance?_

"What are you talking about?" I finally managed to speak. Ichijou looked at me, the gleam in his eyes fading just slightly at my words.

"The Day of the Dead dance," He clarified. Ichijou clapped his hands together enthusiastically. "Rosemary-San, Eliza-Chan, and I all spoke to the Headmaster to come up with new school event ideas, and after checking with the Dorm Leaders of the Night and Day Classes we decided to hold an event to celebrate the dead! Rosemary-San and Eliza-Chan," He gestured to the brunette sitting across from us, "mentioned how the Spanish hold an event to celebrate their ancestors, and since we have our own day on the twenty-fifth here we thought it would be fun to follow their customs and hold a dance on the fifteenth based off of their festivities. It's going to be fun _and_ educational on other cultures. Don't you think so?"

"Uh, y-yeah…" The Headmaster really was insane, wasn't he? I mean, it sounds like fun but… I doubt I'd even do anything aside from sleep in a corner if I went. There'd be no point to me participating. "I-I probably won't go though…" I was surprised Eliza even brought up my reluctance.

The grin on Ichijou's face twitched, the smile threatening to fall as he stopped moving. It was as though a dark cloud had formed above him, sapping out any joy that had been in his body. "H… how come?" He asked, visibly disheartened. I felt a pang in my chest, guilt consuming me. Ichijou looked like a kicked puppy. "Do you not like dances?"

"N-No, it's-it's not that! I-I just…" I looked at Eliza for help, knitting my eyebrows together anxiously. What could I say to make him feel better? I didn't want to lie. Unfortunately, it seemed I was on my own as Eliza was back on her phone-probably checking tumblr or instagram. Rima was staring out the window that was against her seat, electric blue eyes focused on the world outside. "I-I just don't see the point in me going, you know?"

"What do you mean?" He asked, arguing with me as he knitted his eyebrows together. "Of _course_ there's a point in you going! There are plenty of reasons as to why you should go!"

"Not really," I retorted calmly, not understanding the reason he was making such a big fuss. Just what's his motive? "You can ask Eliza. Right?" I attempted to pull the female into the conversation, more than a little awkward as I desperately tried to fight my way out of this situation.

"What?" She blinked, lifting her gaze and staring at me in confusion while Rima pulled her head away from the window. The model appeared completely indifferent. "Hold on, what's happening?" Ichijou didn't waste a beat in complaining, speaking up before I could even try to explain.

"Irene-Chan said she isn't going to the dance~! What should I do, Eliza-Chan!?" The girl looked surprised at his words, but not at my decision. She looked at me, asking with a raised eyebrow,

"You aren't going? Even though it's a different country? I thought you would enjoy doing the make-up. We're supposed to go all-out for it; costume make-up and everything."

"I-I probably would, but… when have I ever gone to a dance?" Realizing how that came out I quickly corrected myself, deadpanning, "And the middle school graduation dance doesn't count. Also, the one dance Freshman year was terrifying; _that_ can not be called dancing." I shivered and shook my head, hugging myself as I recalled the horrific scenes I had seen that night. "It-it was-It was disturbing and-and _gross_ , and if I have to go to another dance I am hiding in a corner next to a trashcan and sleeping."

Eliza frowned at me, displeased with what I had to say even if it was something she had heard before.

"No matter what way you look at it there's no point in me going; I'd be bored out of my mind!" I curled my hands close to me, refusing to uncross my arms, and slumped further down into my seat. I took note of how the distance between Ichijou and I had diminished and we were so close now that our legs were almost touching. When had that happened? "Besides, it would just be a waste of money…"

Money that I didn't even have. How would I be able to pay for a dress, nonetheless the tickets needed to get in? Hold on, do you even have to pay to get into the dances here in Japan? How does that work here?

I held back a sigh, questioning the way the world worked and why Ichijou was trying so hard to convince me to go. _This is ridiculous…_ It seemed like a whole lot of work to even try getting ready for a dance, too. I'd rather just curl underneath the covers and sleep. _What game is Ichijou playing at? Does he want me to remember or not?_

Everything he was doing was confusing. Sure, it was… easy-ish to speak to him, but after pretending not to know me he was acting so buddy-buddy and I… Oh god, why did I even do that earlier? I tried not to cringe as I looked at the wall next to me, recalling how I reached out and touched his face. A-And then he… _Ughhh._ I can't. I really can't. I don't know what to do. This is too much. Just let me go back to the dorms already, please. I know I said I wanted to speak to Ichijou, but this is just too awkward and confusing. I don't know what to do.

Why is trying to figure out who a person is to you so gosh darn hard…?

…

"Ka~na~me~!" Skylar sang cheerfully as pushed back the horde of fangirls, watching as the Pureblood left the gates to head to the school. Multiple of the Aristocrats shot her glares, Aidou and Ruka being some of the main ones, and the Hunter grinned deviously. "How has your day been!? You know, I've been meaning to ask, but _where have you been!?_ " She sugar-coated her voice, looking at him with positively bright and gleaming eyes.

As he walked he stared at her out of the corner of his eyes, sending what most would consider to be a death glare at her. The girl just smiled brighter before firmly pushing some of the fangirls back. Yuuki, having seen Kaname walk by, stammered out a flustered greeting before quickly getting overwhelmed.

The Pureblood, seeing this, faltered in his step. Skylar took notice of this and released the fangirls that were fighting their way in, allowing them to rush over and ambush him and a few of the other Night Class students. Skylar giggled underneath her breath, a dark satisfaction blooming within her. Kaname was clearly annoyed, but forced polite smiles to the Day Class students that were fawning over him and asking him questions. While they were distracted by their own shyness Kaname sent a glare in the direction of Skylar as she quickly moved over to help Yuuki stand.

Operation Annoying Kaname: Complete. Interrogation of the rotten Pureblood: In Progress.

…

I never got my answer, as Ichijou attempted once more to persuade me. "I still think you should go," He said, trying to encourage me. "You might have fun this time!"

"Nope." I shook my head adamantly, not wanting to do as told. I stubbornly kept my gaze away from the blond, refusing to look at him in fear of giving in. I really couldn't figure him out; he made even less sense than Shiki. Was he avoiding me, was he trying to remain friends me- _What is he thinking?_

Was this how we used to speak or something?

I leaned forward, propping my elbow up on the table and resting my chin on the palm of my hand. A part of me knew I should just ask Ichijou directly about his feelings on this whole situation, but… I was scared. What if I was wrong? I hated conflict for many reasons, always a flighter rather than a fighter, but I… I really wanted to know.

For someone who had pretended not to know who I was, why was he going through so much effort to convince me to go to a social event that he himself would be participating in? Why wasn't he acting like we knew nothing about each other?I just… don't get it.

I sighed, only to look up when Eliza spoke and took Ichijou's side once again. "I think you should go, Irene," She told me, eyes locking on mine. I looked at her uncertainly. "At least this once."

Maybe I should just go. If I was lucky there'd be a chance for me to talk to Ichijou one-on-one about everything. He could explain his actions to me then. "Depends," I decided on, closing my eyes as exhaustion swept over me. The lack of sleep was finally catching up to me. "Will it be _dancing_ dancing, or it will be that disturbing stuff that can't even be considered dancing?"

Eliza blinked. "You mean the grinding? Are you still scared of that?"

The silence that hit the table was so awkward and uncomfortable that even Rima fidgeted. Ichijou practically choked, a light red spreading across his pale cheeks as he looked at us with wide eyes. Meanwhile, I turned my head away flustered, biting the inside of my cheek as I thought about that disturbing school dance.

"Wh-Why wouldn't I be? Th-That kind of thing shouldn't even be done in public!"

Ichijou cleared his throat, knitting his eyebrows together as he looked at us. "I-I'm sorry…? You… You _grind_ … at American dances?"

Raising a hand up in the air I raised a finger, declaring loudly, "Hence why I _avoid_ dances! I went to one- _one_ -my freshman year, and I hid in a corner. Then my step cousin's friend dragged me up, tried to get me to dance, and then a random chick came up from behind me and got all up on me. Then I remained in a corner and didn't come out until the end of the dance; granted, I had fallen asleep halfway through so I wasn't completely traumatized."

Eliza groaned, leaning her head back as she exclaimed, "That was _one_ dance, Irene! You just went to one of the unlucky dances where everyone did that. The rest was just slow dancing!"

"And you think I know how to do that?" I fired back at her, incredulous. "I have two right feet!"

Rima deadpanned, "The expression is two "left" feet…"

"Point being! I can't dance, I refuse to go to dances if it's that nasty stuff, and it's not like I have money to get a dress so what's the point?" I raised my hands up in the air as I shrugged, pointing out all the flaws in their grand master plan to convince me to go. "It's what- a week away? Go with Skylar; she loves dances." The girl went to almost every dance the school had orchestrated. If anyone would be fun to go with it would probably be her or Eliza, though I doubted Eliza would be going with anyone this year unless she has a secret boyfriend I didn't know about.

A hand on my arm sent shocks throughout my body, my vision fading in-and-out to monochrome once more, and my breathing started to grow shallow as Ichijou spoke. His voice was quiet, the blond lowering his head as he gazed down at me. "I don't want to go with Rosemary-San," He murmured softly.

I raised my eyes to meet his, pondering just who the _hell_ this person was to me and why he was having such an effect. Crimson specs danced in his emerald orbs, locking me in place and making me completely breathless as I became entranced by them. I couldn't move, only able to sit there in stunned silence as he leaned closer, sliding his hand down my arm and lacing his fingers together with mine. Shivers went through me, pleasant and not altogether unwelcome.

"I want… to dance with _you_ , Irene-Chan. Do you… have any idea as to who I am? Any memory at all?" His expression was pleading, the smile gone and now replaced with a deep, sorrowful frown. My heart ached at the sight, but I tried to remain strong. I needed to calm down in order to speak properly.

Ichijou was… Ichijou was speaking to me. Not… Not to me, but… to _me_. The part of me that knew who he was. "I... " My voice cracked. His hand was warm-familiar, too. So familiar it was heartbreaking and as we remained sitting there I found myself wanting to hug him. Something in me told me Ichijou gave very good hugs. "I rememb-"

I started to speak, finally realizing that Ichijou was no longer trying to hide; he didn't _have_ an ulterior motive-he just wanted to see if I remembered him. Shiki was… _Shiki was right then? He wasn't lying?_ Ichijou's hand tightened around mine when I began to talk.

Unfortunately, the moment I did so a plate slammed loudly onto our table and I jumped, letting out a yelp when my knee bumped against the table. Something clattered and I yanked my hand away from Ichijou's, instinctively reaching out to catch the object that had started to fall. My right hand hit the handle, causing it to bounce off and change direction, and upon seeing what exactly was falling my eyes widened and I shrieked.

I attempted to move my legs to the side, but putting together the damage that would happen if I _didn't_ try to actually grab the knife I knew I wouldn't be the only one who might get hurt. Within seconds I had the knife held firmly in my left hand, the blade slicing deep into my palm and my fingers wrapped around it and cutting into the flesh.

 

  


	20. A Bleeding Knight P.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Irene cuts her hands, Ichijou gets a little bloodthirsty. Kaien and Kaname have a deep conversation, and Yuuki learns a terrible truth...

My breathing was labored, the tears burning my eyes like acid as hot liquid dripped down my hand and trickled along my wrist. I quickly raised my hand and dropped the knife onto the table, cradling my horribly injured limb to my chest as blood pooled out like crazy, dripping everywhere. It bled profusely, refusing to relent. I was completely horrified, having never injured myself in such a large manner before, and quickly stood up.

I lost balance before I even had a chance to gain it, swaying and falling into the seat. Blood splattered everywhere, coating my clothes and spilling onto the seat. Blood that had built up into a puddle on my palm fell, coloring my shirt red.

There was the sound of silverware clattering as Ichijou stood, the male quickly making his way out of the booth and just staring at the scene before him with wide vermillion eyes.

It took everything I had not to hyperventilate, panic and fear consuming my entire being. I tried to put pressure on the wound, but it did little to help and more blood just kept flowing. It hurt to curl my fingers, the blade having sliced the appendages right below the top joint, and my whole palm had this really nasty gash across it. I was so frantic I couldn’t even think-I needed to do something, but what?

 _Bathroom._ Wash the blood off. Bandage it. _Something!_

I fumbled to make my way out of the booth, but I simply tripped and fell into the spot where Ichijou had been sitting moments before. I was choking up and I tried to get up again, but this time I ended up falling _out_ of the seat. I didn’t hit the floor, no, but I was caught by someone who was having just as much trouble breathing as I was at the moment.

Ichijou ended up with my blood all over him and I couldn’t stop myself from crying out in pain when my cuts hit the fabric of his clothes. His fingers dug into my back, the male having been the one to catch me, and he held me so tightly it hurt almost more than my wounds did.

“D-Doctor,” I could barely hear the blond bite out. I could feel him trembling. “Someone call a doctor!”

“I’m already working on it!” Eliza snapped, looking very impatient and exceedingly worried as she waited for the ambulance/police to hurry up and pick up the phone.The waitress that had carried our food looked alarm. Her eyes were filled with horror, but she didn’t stand there long as she had quickly bolted out of the room.

Meanwhile I was trying to wriggle out of Ichijou’s hold, pressed close to his chest as I clamped my right hand over the palm of my left. Blood leaked out from between my fingers and the sides of my hand, seeping onto my wrists and dripping onto Ichijou’s button-up sleeves.

The blond remained stiff and I was still fighting against a sob when he leaned down, his breath ghosting hotly across the side of my neck. _I-It hurts!_ I couldn’t tell what was worse anymore; the pain I felt trying to remember, the injuries on my hand, or how tightly Ichijou was holding onto me. Even though the pain was excruciating I curled my fingers into a ball and cradled it close to me, pressing my face into Ichijou’s chest as the tears unwillingly escaped.

His heartbeat was erratic and did little to help me relax, but I still tried to tell myself everything was okay in order to calm down. I’ve been through worst in the past-there have been times when I couldn’t even move I was in so much pain. This was nothing compared to that, so therefore I needed to _calm. DOWN._

My lips curled back and I choked on a strangled hiccup, sniffling painfully as I made to pull my face away. I opened my burning eyes, flinching and blinking roughly in an attempt to hopefully alleviate the sting, only to completely freeze when I felt something wet and rough glide across my neck.

_Ichijou._

No. No… not him.

Blond hair… brighter-more noticeable than his acacia honey. Golden blond hair. A-And… a forest. A silent scream built up in my throat and before the memory could completely come back I freaked, finding myself refusing to recall something that brought such terror into my heart. I kicked Ichijou as hard as I could in the leg, only to stumble back and slap him as hard as I was able.

I swallowed my own tears, grinding my teeth together as I took shaky breaths. I-Ichijou was… no. Was that even Ichijou? What was…

My eyes widened, watching as Ichijou silently raised a hand up to his face in shock. Blood coated his left cheek from where I had smacked him, the liquid having gotten onto my good hand from when I had cradled my bad one. His eyes were a bright crimson, the same color as the blood that colored us both, and as he looked at me the emerald in his eyes slowly returned.

Through the guilt of hitting him a thought came to me. _Crimson eyes…_ From what I’ve seen so far the entire Night Class, even Eliza actually, had teeth sharper than normal. What Ichijou had been doing… could it have anything to do with this? Did… Did blood affect him in some strange way?

I stepped towards him, completely aware of my own actions at this point. I felt a bit weird doing this, not to mention a little awkward, but curiosity had won me over for once. This person… _what_ was he? Ichijou stepped away when I neared, looking on the verge of tears, and his gaze flickered towards the exit.

I felt Eliza grab my arm, muttering something about returning to the Academy as the nearest doctor was hours away and that the Headmaster knew enough first-aid to account as a doctor himself. Hands clasped around my injured one, large in comparison to my own small ones, and I found myself looking up to a breathy Ichijou.

Rima tugged on his sleeve, but Ichijou wasn’t responding. His gaze was focused intently on my hand. His jaw was clenched so tightly shut sweat beaded down the sides of his face. The red eyes reminded me a lot of my nightmare, but at the same time _his_ eyes didn’t seem as threatening as hers. Looking at him now, Ichijou just looked… hungry.

_Hungry… for blood?_

A class that takes place at night, filled with people more beautiful than you could imagine. Sharp, long canines and eyes that occasionally shone crimson. Skin that would burn easily if under the sun for too long… and people far more intelligent than the average human.

I ended up tugging on Ichijou’s hands while Eliza tugged on mine, Rima following closely behind with umbrella in hand. Once we were outside Rima opened the umbrella, carefully using it to block out the sun, and Eliza turned away to call the Headmaster on the phone. Pulling away from Ichijou I cupped my hands, allowing the blood to pool, and curiously lifted it up to him.

It was almost as if the blond was in a trance. He was completely out of it, movements slow and stiff as if he were fighting but going along with what I was doing at the same time.

_Was my memory loss an accident?_

He was practically hyperventilating. It was almost as if we had switched roles, for now I was the calm one. Instead of freaking out like I should at the situation, I was just accepting of it. I watched as he reached a hand up, fingers wrapping tightly around my bloody wrists, and I flinched at his steel grip. His lips parted slightly, eyes completely locked onto the blood puddle I was holding. It started to overflow again, leaking off the sides and dripping.

_Or… was it something else?_

Sharp canines threatened to poke out of his mouth. It was easy to see that his self-control was waning. He opened his mouth more, tongue darting out, and it had barely touched the dark red liquid before his eyes widened and he released me like I was fire, stumbling with a shout of, “No!” An arm covered his mouth, the blond looking completely horrified at his actions, and when I stepped forward to try and offer again he panicked and ran-the male vanishing from view faster than I could blink with only a gust of wind letting me know he had been there.

I wanted to chase after him, to ask him all about this, but Rima told me to stay with Eliza before following after him. I blinked and stared, watching her vanish just as fast, and wondered if they were even trying to hide their secret. As to how I felt towards all this… I wasn’t really sure. I felt more numb than anything after seeing Ichijou run away like that.

I hadn’t… really let myself focus on it much in the past, but… there was something odd about the Night Class. As ridiculous as it was, I was only letting myself put the pieces together now. The question is… would it be worth the risk to continue focusing on it, rather than continue pretending that I’ve never noticed?

…

She had been so calming… being near her after so long was like the warmest, most delightful of teas on a cold winter day. The scent of her blood was overwhelming and he had initially wanted to leave, but after Rima forced him to sit down beside the petite brunette Ichijou began to relax after inhaling her overly human scent. The lavender and honey smell was like a remedy to a sickness that had been named incurable.

His senses that were threatening to destroy and take over him had relaxed, sinking into euphoria he couldn’t ever recall feeling before. And just _talking_ to her-oh, Ichijou was ecstatic. Kaname would certainly be displeased, but at the moment the blond couldn’t really care. For the first time in what felt like ages to him, a _Vampire_ , Ichijou had felt happy.

However, when Eliza said that Irene might not go to the dance at all and the brunette confirmed it… the blond was heartbroken. The deal _relied_ on Irene going to the dance. He needed her to be there. Everything he was hoping for counted on it. If she didn’t go then he would never have a chance to make her properly remember him.

And then… well, before that even, she had caught him. Ichijou had made a slip up, revealing he knew her taste in foods, and Irene had called him out on it. And then… after Irene tried to tell him once more that she didn’t want to go the dance-that she didn’t have a _reason_ to-Ichijou, in a last ditch effort, asked if she remembered who he was.

But then… oh god, there was so much blood. The beast inside him was going _crazy_. It still was. Ichijou felt hungry right down to his very bones, starving to the point where he thought he was going to die. His self-control was certainly put the test, especially in the restaurant, and when she left her neck so bare and accessible like that…

Ichijou felt like pounding his head into the wall. He almost _bit_ her! If she hadn’t hit him…

His feet slowed down, the male exhausted and drained, and the blond found himself collapsing to his knees. He coughed, wheezing and breathing shallowly as he clawed at his dry throat. His eyes locked onto the blood covering his hands, his form, his clothes… An image of the girl outstretching her hands to him made him choke, the male hacking painfully from thirst.

Perhaps Ichijou saw wrong, but… was she _offering_ her blood to him? That… That can’t be. He had to have hallucinated from his bloodlust. Ichijou was tired and delusional, and _so damn hungry._ Ichijou wanted to drain her to the point of unconsciousness, to take her blood until she was unable to stand. He wanted… He wanted… _this_.

He could smell it all over him, her blood staining him. Ichijou found it impossible to restrain himself any longer and gave into the temptation, lifting his bloody fingers to his lips and tasting the sweet nectar that was human blood. His pupils dilated, emerald glowing scarlet, and before long all the blood was gone- the blond having obsessively cleaned his fingers with his tongue.

He ran his hand across his face, trying to get the blood off of it to devour, and when it was gone he started to scrub at his clothes, rubbing his fingers against his diamond sweater vest. Ichijou was about to pull the article of clothing off in order to suck the blood out of it when he felt a female chest crash into his back, slender arms wrapping around his shoulders.

“Ichijou-San!” Rima gasped, appearing exhausted from all the running. The young Vampire teen hugged him tight, anger and worry conflicting across her normally dismissive face as she glared at him. “What the hell are you doing…!?”

“R-Rima…” He stammered, startled to see her there. “What are…?”

The model’s gaze flickered to Ichijou’s hands, taking note of how the blood was all gone except for that which coated his clothes, and then focused on his eyes. They were wet with tears, glimmering brightly with the lust for blood. The hunger was not quite as intense, but she knew he was probably still in so much pain.

He wanted more, Ichijou wanted _full_ , and being the first human blood he’d have ever tasted… well, Rima could only feel sympathy as it had to be in a situation like this. He’s never had human blood before, and after tasting it for the first time it probably just drove him even crazier. Not to mention it was the blood of the one he’s been craving…

The model sighed and Ichijou trailed off, realizing full well why she had followed him. The blond lowered his head, disgusted with himself, and ignored some of the gazes innocent bystanders gave him. Rima frowned when she noticed Ichijou was shaking. Without a word she pulled away, grabbing at his arm and lifting the taller man up onto his feet.

Ichijou stumbled and quickly caught himself, staring down at the ginger in confusion. They started to walk, Rima dragging him along the street. As there was no sun out, the sky covered by the clouds and it being around five to six in the evening, Rima kept her umbrella closed against her side.

“This has gone on too long, Ichijou-San…” She murmured quietly, recalling how easily he had almost succumbed to his urges. She hadn’t been going to interfere, knowing how much he needed it, but even after the girl had offered the blond still pulled away. “I’ll make her come to the dance, so… tell her. Make her remember everything.” If he’s scared of hurting her, of scaring her away before she could remember and learn the truth… then Rima will make her recall.

Ichijou’s eyes widened at Rima’s words. He opened his mouth to speak, but the smell of sweet familiar blood hit his nose and he choked. Ichijou stumbled, stepping forward and clinging onto the ginger’s arm tightly. Rima stopped walking, turning her head to stare at him with a slightly concerned gaze. “I-I can’t… R-Rima,” He gasped, “A-Academy! T-Take… Take me to the Academy.”

He let out a dry cough, desperately tugging on her arm as Eliza and Irene’s voices could be heard in the distance. Rima was silent for a long moment. “...Such a pain,” She settled on, releasing a small sigh, before kneeling down.

This would be fastest course of action compared to calling her manager, and as she shifted to pick him up Ichijou all but collapsed on her back. She grunted and gave him her umbrella to hold, the male’s fingers clasping weakly around the handle, and she grabbed onto his legs as she stood.

“Times like these I’m glad I’m a Vampire,” She muttered, so softly that only the blond could hear her. Ichijou simply turned his head and coughed in response, weak and dying for the taste of that certain person’s blood. He needed more… more….

_K-Kaname… help me…_

…

It was six thirty-four in the evening. The Night Classes were still going on and the lights were dimmed, the hallways completely dark if not for the occasional wall lamp lighting up the area. Skylar’s cheerful facade was gone as she glared up at the figure in front of her, complete hatred adorning her features.

After interrogating Ichijou, Skylar had come to the conclusion that the only person who could have went after Irene, or at the very least given the order for one of the other Vampires to go after her, was the rotten Pureblood standing in front of the prefect now. He was the only person who could fit the role.

Seirin was impossible to find, the girl even more slippery than the slippery snake Ichijou himself, but after doing some snooping around the Night Class the caramel-skinned girl learned that Seirin always did everything Kaname had asked of her, no questions or argument at all. Seirin was like a doll that obeyed his every command, the Vampire nothing more than a marionette.

Crossing her arms Skylar leaned against the wall, narrowing her eyes at Kaname in disgust. Here she was threatening him and he still had the audacity to remain so calm and composed? She despised it; Skylar really, _really_ wanted to beat that look right off of his face. “So,” She began as casually as she could, “Why’d you do it?”

“Do what, Huntress-San?” Kaname responded politely, giving no indication he knew what she was talking about. “If you stopped me on my way to the Headmaster’s office for the sole reason of asking me cryptic questions, I’m afraid I must continue on my way…” The anger fueling inside of her at his words caused Skylar to snap, the girl no longer able to play the Headmaster’s little pacifist. She stood up straight and slammed her fist into the wall, her voice loud and clear as she screamed at him.

“Don’t you _dare_ play games with me! I know it was you!” Kaname narrowed his eyes, lips tilting downwards into a deep frown. “ _You’re_ the one who gave the order for Seirin to erase Irene’s memories, weren’t you!? Do you have any _idea_ as to what you’ve done!? It’s all your fault!” Skylar’s voice cracked as she yelled at him, choking up just slightly as her glare intensified. Kaname was unaffected. “Your little puppet couldn’t do the job properly, so you know what happened next?”

Silence enveloped them, Kaname’s garnet eyes sharpening and daring her to continue. He remained still, allowing the prefect to lunge forward and grab him by the collar of his uniform. His eyes flashed dangerous, watching her carefully.

“You… Your puppet couldn’t completely erase everything, s-so fucking _Ichijou_ had to finish what she started! Th-The one who freaking _defended_ you a-and… do you even _care!?_ Do you _know_ how much he’s been hurting!? Irene is _breaking apart_ trying to remember and it’s all. Your. FAULT!” Her voice broke, the girl completely blinded by her emotions, and reeled her hand back.

She curled her fingers into fist, holding tightly onto his collar with her other hand, and brought her hand forward with the intent to sock him directly in the face. Unfortunately, Kaname vanished. Skylar blinked, stumbling forward, and turned around in alarm. A hand was suddenly around her throat. She choked, clawing at it, and glared furiously at Kaname as tears began to well up in her eyes.

“You’re a fucking bastard,” She told him, choking as oxygen was blocked from entering her lungs. Kaname tightened his hold, threatening to crush her windpipe. “I… I hope you _die_.”

His fingers dug into her throat, Skylar kicking her legs as he held her up in the air, and a bit of saliva began to make its way out of her mouth as she choked and coughed. Her red face started to become a bit blue from the lack of oxygen. “Perhaps I will… eventually.” Kaname calmly said, glaring darkly at her. “And you’re right; I am a disgusting creature. But the things I do… are for a reason much greater than what someone with such a small mind like you can fathom.”

With that said he released her, dropping the girl and allowing her to fall to her knees. Skylar gasped, wheezing and coughing as she rubbed at her burning throat. She could feel the bruises start to form, and for a moment she thought about how she was going to get asked multiple questions. She dreaded it, but decided not to focus on it as she gave another cough. Weakly, Skylar lifted her head up and glared. “S-Small mind my ass,” She bit out furiously. “I bet you love torturing others to get over the fact that you have such a small dick! Wh-Why else would you be so okay with letting your best friend ruin his one chance at-”

Glass shattered before she could finish, the Pureblood’s anger exploding the windows and causing the sharp pieces of glass to fly everywhere. Skylar went silent, quickly raising a hand up to protect her face. She flinched as some shards sliced through her uniform and cut through the cloth, ripping into her skin. Kaname glared at her so darkly that if it weren’t for the Headmaster’s promise and their ideals of peace, the Pureblood would have killed her then and there.

Lowering her arm Skylar gazed at Kaname with a burning fire, wishing just as much as he did towards her that she could rid the world of him. “Hurt me all you want, _Pureblood_ ,” She scowled, eyes narrowed with determination as she used his title like it was an abomination to the earth. “You will _not_ stop Irene from remembering, because as cliche as it sounds… she’s stubborn as all hell when it comes to the people she cares about.”

Kaname said nothing in response, turning his head away as his bangs fell into his face. He started to walk away, moving past the rogue hunter, only to pause. Skylar knit her eyebrows together, wondering why he did so, and braced herself for another attack. None came, and she found herself watching in confusion as he spoke to her over his shoulder. “You seem to be mistaken, Hunteress-San… I’m not stopping anyone from doing anything. This is simply a test and nothing more.”

The brunette sent him another glare, perturbed and angry at his words. A test was far worse than him just erasing Irene’s memories on a whim. What was he even testing her for? Or… was it just Irene he was testing? She watched as Kaname vanished from view, the Pureblood walking away with the grace of a king, and she imagined him bursting into flames as she brought a hand up to her bleeding arm.

Skylar cursed under her breath, seeing how bad her cuts were, and shakily stood. She tried not to think about it, but… “Son of a bitch.” The girl scowled, making her way down the hallway with the intention of borrowing the Headmaster’s shooting range. If Kaname had erased Irene’s memories to test how much she and Ichijou actually cared about each other, then everything made sense.

…

I whimpered a little as the Headmaster stuck the needle through my hand, carefully applying stitches as the nearest hospital was about four hours away. I flinched when he cut the thread, tying a knot, before wrapping a white cloth around my hand carefully. “You know,” He began sternly, “I have no problem with you going out into town with my lovely Night Class students if they’re the ones who invited you, but I _must_ insist on you being more careful! Just look at you, Taylor-San!”

Tears welled up in his eyes as he gestured to my beaten and worn form. I blinked, looking down at myself. When I arrived to the Office with Eliza and the Headmaster had first seen me he looked utterly horrified. Instead of the usual goofy grin or the tears he would randomly shed the Headmaster became completely serious-almost as if he were a different person-and the look in his eyes changed completely.

I must have been a sight-especially since so many people seem to be making a fuss about it recently. From my swollen, sleep-deprived eyes to the busted lip that he had stitched, and all the way down to my completely mutilated left hand, I looked a bit like I had gotten into a fight with a blender.

“My poor cute student is completely torn to pieces~!” He wailed. The Headmaster-no. _Kaien_ pressed his hands against his face, tears welling up in his eyes almost as fast as mine did, and let out multiple loud cries of distress. Kaien looked extremely upset. Why is that?

I found myself staring at him, observing him closely as he reacted overdramatically. I’ve seen him do this before… or at least behave in a similar manner. Kaien… he had made me stay here after I got sick and kept me in his guest bedroom. I had… I had something-low blood sugar? Blood pressure? One of the two, I wasn’t quite sure. It was all because of Kaien that I even spoke to Ichijou in the past so much. He had… let the blond visit…

“-suppose I should call your parents…”

Wait, what? I snapped out of my observation and looked up at Kaien in alarm. “W-Why?”

“Because,” Kaien said sadly, “as Headmaster it’s my responsibility to ensure the wellbeing of my students. If something has happened to one of them it’s only right to let the parents know. Therefore, I will need to get into contact with them.”

But… he can’t. If dad found out I was hurt like this he would freak out like crazy and have me on the first plane back to America. He and Malaya would be panicking like all heck. It would be easier to convince mother to let me remain, but… “I-I’m fine!” I tried to laugh it off, waving my right hand at Kaien dismissively. “I get hurt all the time; it’s normal!”

“Even so,” He began, “when you get this badly hurt a lot of questions will rise. Surely you heard the rumors going around the school?”

“But… But those are _rumors_!” I sputtered, unable to believe what I was hearing. I looked at Kaien incredulously. “Rumors are false, built without truths-you can’t trust anything you hear floating down a hallway! B-Besides, I-I remember things now! If you call I’ll be sent back home a-and I-I won’t be able to remember everything else!”

Kaien looked completely startled when I told him that. He froze, staring at me with wide eyes. “You… You do?” He asked slowly, dumbfounded, before a huge grin spread across his and he smiled brightly. His hazel orbs were filled with hope. “LIke what!? What do you remember!?” I leaned back in alarm when he suddenly moved forward, kneeling down in front of me. He grabbed at my shoulders. “Tell me!”

I was more than a little terrified at how he was reacting; it took everything I had not to freeze up and back away in fear. I choked up, struggling to explain. “I… I remember… th-the guy who brought me flowers when I woke up. We… He and I used to be friends. I-Ichijou-Kun visited a lot when I stayed here.”

Please, _please_ tell me my mind wasn’t grieving so bad that it made up false memories. Kaien stared at me in silent shock, his hold on my shoulders loosening slightly as he looked at me. “That’s…” He suddenly choked up, tears welling up in his eyes faster than I could blink. “I-Irene-Chan, you…”

I yelped when I was was forcefully pulled into a hug, his arms around me and practically crushing my spine he held me so tight. I didn’t have to ponder on why he suddenly changed the way he addressed me, reverting from “Taylor-San” to “Irene-Chan”, as my bloody shirt suddenly became soaked with his joyful tears. He wailed random gibberish-crying out about his “precious student” being “caring” and “understanding”.

“I _knew_ bringing you to this academy was the right thing to do! Nothing that big meanie Kaname-Kun does can stop this now!”

 _Wait… what?_ I stared at Kaien in utter confusion, his words confusing me. He pulled away, hands still gripping my shoulders and he beamed at me. The Headmaster looked quite proud for some reason, and when he spoke again his voice was softer and almost… nostalgic. As if he were thinking about something far away, while still trying to remain on the present. It almost felt like he was looking through me-seeing into someone else.

“When you truly care about someone… you’d do anything to assure their happiness. Nothing will have the power to stop you on that path. Don’t you agree, Irene-Chan?”

I wasn’t entirely sure how to react to that. Out of all people, I wasn’t really expecting the Headmaster to be the kind of person who would say that with such a sad look in his eyes. What he said about that made me wonder if he was remembering someone. “I… I guess?” Hold on, didn’t he mention something about a “Kaname” not being able to stop… _something_ involving my memory recovery?

That would mean… That would mean that my amnesia _wasn’t_ an accident! That woman who haunts my dreams… was she involved with that “Kaname” person somehow? No, wait, how am I even sure that that woman was part of my memories and not really just a recurring nightmare sprung on from paranoia and fear?

The eyes that glowed the color of blood… and sharp canines that protruded from behind their lips. Who is to say that it wasn’t all connected? My missing memories of Ichijou Takuma and the Night Class… was “Kaname” responsible for all of them?

 _If he can take away memories… can he give them back?_ No. What if by finding out I had regained memories he would try to take them again? I can’t let that happen. I _won’t_ let that happen.

Left in my thoughts Kaien took charge to finish cleaning up my cheek, slapping a band-aid on the cut, and mused about how I was probably the most accident-prone person he had ever known. He then said that if I kept scarring my face up like this I’d scare away “suitors” like how his dear friend Touga Yagari does. I just mumbled an apology and said that I didn’t really care if I scared away “suitors” or not as I wasn’t really interested in a real-life relationship, and went over our entire conversation inside my head.

My face remained blank, but in the inside I felt completely alarmed. Kaien said… he said bringing me to the Academy was the “right thing to do”. Did that mean… Did that mean he wasn’t going to send me away?

I never had the courage to ask Kaien what he had meant, carefully making my way back to the dorms. Eliza and I had to separate earlier after we had arrived at his Office, Kaien sending her back to her classes, and now after returning to my dorm room and using my nebulizer I quickly went to sleep.

…

Shooting ranges. Skylar loved them. They were a wonderful way to vent off her anger and since the Headmaster had actual _bullets_ she was able to reload and shoot to her heart’s content. The conversation with Kaname had pissed her off greatly, and it made her even angrier that she could, to some extent, understand his reasoning.

Maybe it was because they were both manipulative. Maybe it was because they could both be savage. But to see him _use_ Irene and Ichijou like that-

_BANG. BANG. BANG. BANG-_

She snickered when she shot the hanging target’s neck so much that its head started to dangle off. She imagined it as the Pureblood, delivering another bullet straight through the head, before reloading. She bit her bottom lip, the quiet sinking in and letting her delve into her thoughts as cocked the gun.

What on earth could she do to help? Not much. She was only good at shooting and killing things. Offering comfort was the only other thing she was decent at. Skylar was barely there when Ichijou and Irene were speaking, and even if she told the girl about how Ichijou had eaten breakfast and, sometimes, dinner with them as a “family” she doubted it would do much. There really wasn’t anything she could do, was there?

_Damn it…_

She ground her teeth together and blinked away the tears, releasing a couple more rounds of bullets before turning the safety back on and dropping the gun on one of the tables. She ran out of the room and up the stairs, passing the startled Headmaster. He called out to her, probably to ask her to cover up or at the very least bandage her wounds, but she really didn’t care.

Skylar could handle almost anything that got in her way…

Right?

She slowed down, choking and fighting a sob as she brought her hands up to her face. _Dad…_ Was there really nothing she could do? Skylar sniffled as she wiped at her eyes, heading up the stairs in the school she had left. She paced around for a few hours, trying to ignore the feeling of helplessness as she recalled the incident that had happened so many years ago.

She felt like a little girl, trapped underneath the gaze of a bloodthirsty beast. He had no weapons, no way to defend himself, and yet… her father had still thrown himself in front of the Level-E to save her. There was nothing she could do then either.

All she wanted to do was help. She figured finding out the culprit would be the best way to do so, but in the act of that she had completely abandoned her best friend and left her to deal with the darkness alone. What kind of person would do such a thing?

…

Kaien sighed, shaking his head incredulously as he made his way out of the doors of his house. He had been more than a little surprised when Eliza had burst into his office with an injured Irene beside her, the young Vampire demanding he do something to fix her. Kaien was greatly touched by the friendship between the two-a human and Vampire-but was even more warmed by the knowledge that Irene actually _remembered_ a certain blond Aristocrat.

For a Human to fight so hard for a Vampire… Kaien almost couldn’t believe it. Humans and Vampires have certainly been together in the past, but those had never always ended prettily. The Human either died after living out their lifespan or was murdered by another Vampire who had wished for vengeance against that person’s spouse.

But the difference in this is that while Irene was a Human just like them, she was the only Human to have ever had her memory wiped. There have been multiple instances like hers in the past and those people never regained the missing parts of their memory-Kaien had to have Kaname erase a few of his own students memories when a Night Class member got particularly hungry and didn’t feel like following the rules-but Irene _did_.

She was just like those other humans, entranced by a Vampire and pulled in by his charm, and had gotten that person wiped from her mind. However, her attachment to that Vampire was so strong that, even though recollection was extremely difficult and far from a painless feat, she _remembered_. It hasn’t even been two weeks and she already recalled so much about Ichijou Takuma…

Kaien suddenly felt his heart ache, mischievous wine-colored eyes and long, curly brown hair flashing through his mind. It’s been so many years since he had met that person, yet he could still remembered it clearly. He recalled how the woman had yelled at him, lecturing him and calling him an idiot for believing that all Vampires were the same.

He knew better now; there were actually Vampires who wished to get along with Humans. Kaien set up the Night Class for the sole purpose of that; it was that woman’s last wish for Humans and Vampires to coincide peacefully within a school. She had sought him out for that reason, knowing his family had run Cross Academy. Such a rambunctious Pureblood…

He knew what love at first sight was when he met her, watching her and husband interact the way they had. He also felt something stir within his own heart upon that meeting, but he never once acted upon them. It would have been wrong and cruel, and he just couldn’t bring it upon himself to ruin such a lovely couple. But now…

They were gone forever. And Kaien was here making that person’s dream a reality. All he wished for was that they had a single photo that he could keep to remember them by; having lived as long as he had, Kaien’s certain that their faces would leave his memory within a few more lifespans.

Kaien gave a dramatic sigh, making his way down the path that led back to the Academy. Not only did he need to give a certain Rosemary Skylar a lecture about taking care of her health, but he also needed to make sure nobody went into his office in hopes of talking to him. Of course, the only person who _would_ talk to him would be Kaname and/or Takuma.

He hummed lightly to himself, trying to be optimistic even though he felt something bad forming within his bones. His skin crawled, his instincts telling him that something horrible was going to happen. He tried to pass it off, attempting to convince himself that it was just paranoia that Yuuki and/or Zero might not find the dinner he had made and wrapped up for them to eat when they took their separate patrol breaks, but he knew he was being ridiculous.

He had hunted Vampires for far too long in the pass to mistake this feeling.

Kaien was proven correct when he arrived, finding a certain Pureblood by the name Kuran Kaname sitting there in the chair in front of his desk inside his office. The brunette was casually sipping blood tablet infused water out of a wine glass, one leg crossed over his knee in an elegant fashion.

“Kaname-Kun,” He said, surprised despite having expected it. Kaien’s expression became serious, all traces of humor gone as he stared at his very, _very_ old friend. “Why are you in class?” He asked, feigning innocence. Curiosity ate away at him, though he had a feeling he knew what this conversation was going to be about.

Kaname’s eyes were tired as he looked at him, half-lidded and worn with life. Kaien was one of the few people Kaname let his guard down around, Yuuki and Takuma being the only others. “There’s something we need to discuss,” He told him slowly, taking another sip from his glass. He looked hungrier than usual, and if it didn’t mean that Kaien would have become a Vampire himself he probably would have offered his blood to him.

Kaien closed his eyes, almost berating himself for being thoughtless at trying to believe he wouldn’t figure it out. The Headmaster made his way towards his broken desk, Zero having snapped it in half due to his anger with Yuuki putting it back into place when ranting determinedly.

Kaien had put staples on the cracks, too lazy to spend money to fix it or get a new one. It was also another memory he’d love to keep; a memory about his precious children… even if one didn’t exactly consider him a father-figure. Kaien sat down, lacing his fingers together on the desk, and looked at Kaname with a frown. “So you couldn’t be deceived after all… You really _are_ on a different level, aren’t you, Kaname-Kun?”

…

Skylar traversed the hallways slowly, exhaustion and depression eating away at her and sapping her of all her strength. Her footsteps echoed quietly along the halls, the girl practically dragging her feet she was moving so slow. Maybe if she focused or had any of the candy she had bought left in order to wake her up she would have noticed a lingering presence that was constantly moving around.

She was just too tired to care. The girl grimaced as pain wracked her body, the cuts from the glass burning and screaming at her for attention. She didn’t bother to clean them or patch them up; why should she? She can handle practically anything that gets thrown her way. All accept…

Skylar flinched at the memory of warm blood splashing against her, her father jumping in front of her and getting slashed in the back from the neck down. There was no saving him... She reached her hands up, ruffling her hair violently at the flashback. Her father’s death had happened years ago and… and there were other ways she could help Irene, right?

Zero skips his duties all the time so why can’t Skylar? Irene needs her. She can try and help her through her memory loss, maybe binge watch some anime and eat junk food! There’s absolutely no reason why she should fret over this. At that thought the Huntress inhaled deeply, coming to a stop beside a pair of stairs that led up to the second floor.

_Everything is fine._

...

“Not a single drop of human blood courses through those veins; you, who are the rarest among the breeds of Vampire.” Kaien spoke as if reciting a ritual, staring at Kaname with an unwavering expression of seriousness. “You, who are a Pureblood, are feared even by other Vampires… so much so that they might even strike out from their fear. Others live and revere you, doing all that is possible in order to be your faithful servant…”

“Headmaster Cross,” Kaname began, setting his glass down and narrowing his eyes at the sandy-blond. “It is because of my trust and respect for you that I refused to interfere, but you have only taken a few steps towards peace and despite the face of it all you _still_ treat Kiryuu Zero like a regular student. Do you intend to allow to destroy your ideals of tranquility between our races!?”

Hands slammed against his desk, but Kaien did not falter or waver in fright. The Headmaster held his gaze, allowing the Pureblood to rant even while the brunette struggled to maintain his temper. “His family was attacked by a Vampire, and in that sea of blood Kiryuu-Kun alone miraculously survived…” He calmly responded, staring up at him. He narrowed his eyes, nothing but sorrow and love for his son in his eyes. His voice was soft, nearly a whisper as he asked, “What could be more horrific than that?”

“But it wasn’t an ordinary Vampire that had attacked and kill his family!” Kaname argued, furious at the way Kaien was behaving at the situation. Action needed to be took immediately, but this man was willing to sit and passively watch by as such a fate unfolded…? “It was a Pureblood Vampire, like _me._ ” He growled, leaning forward over the desk and closer to Kaien. “You’ve seen many pitiful ends of Human life… enough to make you _sick._ Haven’t you, Ex-Hunter Cross Kaien?”

Memories of lives he had ended and lives he saw end flashed through Kaien’s mind like a whirlwind. Kaname was right; he _has_ seen enough death to make him sick. If it were anyone else, they probably would have gone insane. Kaien has lived an incredible life, but despite it all he knew it would be a _very_ long time before it would come to a halt. The sandy blond narrowed his eyes at Kaname, as if daring him to say more.

“You _know_ he can not avoid that terrible end… a Human that is bitten by a Pureblood can suffer only one of two fates. One, they will be drained of too much blood and will die… or… they will be forced to suffer a much more horrible existence, going through the agonizing transformation into a Vampire and being filled with the horrendous craving for blood. The transformation of a Human into a Vampire could be done only by a Pureblood; it was the unfortunate ability that no other Vampire could even dream to possess. Zero may have once have been Human… and for four long years he may have resisted his Vampire instincts. It’s for that reason that I admire his strong willpower, however…”

…

The girl continued along her way, heading up the stairs with her mind lost in thought, when she caught hint of something unusual yet familiar at the same time. It was a presence she hadn’t felt in quite a while, having not seen him around recently due to him constantly skipping duties. Skylar frowned, wondering if part of the reasons he had missed so much work was because of his… “transformation” and the effects that came with it.

She carefully made her way up the flight of stairs and continued down the hallway, twisting and turning until she came to the third floor stairs. It was probably an unwise decision to approach him while bearing so many cuts, but with Irene constantly bleeding on a daily basis she doubted it would do much but slightly irritate him…

Unfortunately, Skylar soon found out she was wrong. She stopped halfway up the staircase, seeing the exact person she had been looking for. His side faced her, the male coughing and wheezing with a hand clawing at his throat. Zero had sweat beading down the sides of his face, his jaw clenched so tightly it hurt him, and his hair and clothes stuck to his skin.

Blood tablets were spilled all over the wooden staircase, some only half dissolved and others just coated in spit, and upon hearing her footsteps Zero froze. He choked, lilac eyes blooming pink from the scarlet hues, and found himself slowly losing to the bloodlust as the hint of berries reached his nose.

 _So hungry…_ No, he… can’t…

Skylar stepped forward, causing the scent of blood to get stronger, and he remained there frozen for only a moment as the female prefect bumped her side into the staircase railing. She hissed, retracting her already injured arm, and Zero found himself no longer able to resist as fresh droplets of blood trickled down her arm.

Everything hurt; Zero felt as though he hadn’t eaten in _years_. Stomach twisting, churning, even his bones felt like they were being torn apart from inside him. He fought- _struggling_ against the agony of hunger, but the pain was far too much to handle this time. So much blood… god, he could even smell that accident-prone foreigner’s blood.

Her blood had wafted through the entire academy so much of it had been spilled, and Zero found himself running in the opposite direction as fast he possibly could. The scent of it was the whole reason he started to have such a bad attack right now, and now… oh god, it was _right there_. The blood was _right there._ The beast inside of him screamed.

Skylar’s fingers twitched, her eyes widening, and she quickly stepped back and unlatched her gun from underneath her skirt. Any and all images of sanity were gone, his eyes as red as the crimson leaking out from her arm, and she made to shoot at him. Instead of pulling the trigger shefroze, paralyzed to the spot.

His red eyes were almost completely void of life… sapped of strength and the eyes of someone who had given up. The sight of those hopeless and destroyed eyes made her falter. Those eyes were _not_ Zero’s. Had he… finally snapped?

Her finger twitched. Skylar _knew_ she should shoot; he was melting down into a Level-E right there in front of her and was a threat to all the students on campus. He was a threat to _her_. But… why couldn’t she pull the trigger? Was it because she had grown soft on him? Seeing him in this state was… difficult to process. He was such a strong-willed person who refused to take anyone’s crap and now…

There was a loud clatter as the weapon hit the ground, Skylar being forced back and pinned against the wall with a pair of fangs digging deep and painfully into her neck. She flinched, the pain so sharp and great it was impossible not to cry out. The pain from having her blood drawn unwillingly from her was excruciating, the girl struggling against his hold as he kept her wrists pressed firmly against the wall.

She hadn’t wanted to see him like this. Sure they didn’t always get along; so what if they argued occasionally? After Irene lost her memories Zero had become a bit more civil towards her, no longer searching for reasons to constantly fight with her, and even started helping her out for a bit during guard duty. That is, until he started missing so many days…

To see him become this, a Vampire, a being he absolutely _hated_ … it was heartbreaking.

“Z-Zero,” She choked, quickly becoming lightheaded. Skylar had foolishly hoped that maybe Zero wouldn’t snap, that _maybe_ he would be able to maintain self-control. She had let herself stupidly believe in the unlikely and now here she was, becoming a victim of a Level-E just like her father had…

Pain like needles pierced her from every part of her body as Zero drank more and more, gulping loudly and hungrily as the blood gushed down his throat. Her legs threatened to give out, shaking and becoming weaker by the second. She could feel him, _hear_ him as he greedily drank. The warm liquid trailed down his mouth and streamed across her neck, the red liquid staining them both and completely covering the tops of their uniforms. Zero was completely oblivious to the outside world, focused only on what it was he was doing, and paid absolutely no bit of attention to the pained whimper that escaped Skylar’s lips as black spots started to dance in her vision.

He wasn’t going to stop, she realized. If he kept going like this he would kill her. Zero had been fighting his Vampiric urges for years and if he kept this up… she would… just like…

Skylar couldn’t even move. Her eyelids felt heavy. Everything was blurry and spinning. She felt completely breathless. Too weak to fight back the girl went limp in his hold, Zero dropping her wrists and instead holding her to him by her waist, wrapping an arm around her and using his other to pull her hair out of his way so he could get better access to her neck.

_So… sleepy…_

A sudden screech almost caused Zero to drop her, the male startled and snapping out of his bloodthirsty haze and pulling his fangs out of her neck. Blood covered his form head-to-toe, the liquid dropping heavily from his chin and still pouring from Skylar’s neck. He had pulled away so fast his fangs almost ripped her neck open.

Tears burned his eyes so bad it felt like someone had poured acid on him, and the sweet taste of blood in his mouth suddenly tasted sour, the male feeling as if he had ash on his tongue. His crimson eyes grew wide, horrified at what he had done, and he turned his head in the direction that he had heard the scream come from.

His heart almost stopped beating, his worst fears coming to life all at once. Yuuki stood there at the top of the staircase, her hands clasped over her mouth in complete and unadulterated terror at the sight of him holding Skylar’s unconscious and bloody form. Tears welled up in the petite brunette’s eyes and without a word ran off, unable to believe what was happening.

Zero almost called out to her, but his attention was quickly brought to back to the girl he was holding. He swallowed the lump forming his throat, his lips curling back as he strangled back a sob. Carefully kneeling down with her still in his arms he pressed a hand against the wound he had created, putting pressure on it in hopes to stop the bleeding.

“I-I’m so sorry…” This wasn’t what he had wanted. Zero didn’t wish to harm anyone. A-And now… oh god… “R-Rosemary, please wake up…”

When given no response he squeezed his eyes tightly shut and stood, hoisting her up bridal-style and fighting against his tears. He was just like those beasts… those monsters in human form. The annoying prefect he was holding was… no. No, she wasn’t dead yet. She’s still breathing-if just barely. He needed to get her to the Headmaster immediately.

…

I was shaking, my whole body trembling as I shot up out of bed. Fear raced through my whole body as I sat up, and it took a good minute before I was able to successfully kick my blankets off my legs. I nearly fell out of my bed in my rush, panicked and scared, and cried out as I tripped over my own feet and face-planted into the carpet.

I didn’t bother putting my glasses on, having forgotten their existence, and scrambled back up. In my rush I didn’t regain my balance completely, so when I tried to run I ended up nearly toppling over again and had to resort to hopping on one foot as I made my way to the front door.

Something was _wrong_. Gravely wrong. I didn’t know what, or if I was even still dreaming, but I had just woken up with this sharp pain in my neck and the thought that someone was in danger.

Skylar… where _was_ Skylar? On duty, maybe… but…

I needed to find her. I didn’t know _why_ ; I just knew I needed to find her.

…

Kaien frowned, looking at Kaname curiously when the Pureblood went silent. He tightened the grip he had on his hands, trying to ignore the feeling that twisted inside the pit of his stomach. “Is something the matter, Kaname-Kun?” The atmosphere, the tension in the air… it was the feeling that threatened death.

Kaname just stood, turning his head, and a few moments later the doors burst open with Yuuki running in. Tears trickled down her face, eyes red and puffy from crying, and she was breathing heavily from how much she had ran. “Z-Zero!” She cried out, and would’ve fallen over if Kaname didn’t reach out to grab her. “Z-Zero-Zero’s a _Vampire!_ ”

Kaien stood, alarmed. “Yuuki-! Yuuki, are you alright!? Where did he bite you!?” Gasping, the girl shook her head, seeming not to realize Kaname was holding onto her. His arms were around her protectively, the Pureblooded male seeming almost angry about something despite his calm demeanor. Only Kaien saw this.

“N-Not me! H-He bit-He bit Sky-Chan! She was… O-Oh god, Sky-Chan was-” Yuuki brought her hands up to her face again, fighting against a horrified sob. “I-I was so scared; I-I couldn’t believe it and-oh god!” She pushed herself away from Kaname, but the man reached out and grabbed her arm to stop her. Yuuki tugged, resisting his attempts to stop her. “I-I need to help her! I-I ran away without thinking and-and it was so _awful!_ Z-Zero’s probably hurting really bad right now and Sky-Chan needs help!”

“You should wait here.” Kaname told her sternly, frowning disapprovingly. Yuuki stopped struggling, looking up at him with big, confused eyes. His hold loosened briefly, before it tightened just a little in a pleading kind of way. “Such a bloody sight… is not something your innocent eyes should see.”

Yuuki stared up at him speechless. Then, right as she opened her mouth to protest, Kaien placed a hand on her shoulder and told her softly, “Do as he says for now, Yuuki… It would not be good for anyone if you were to end up hurt as well. Kaname-Kun and I will handle this.”

“But I-!”

“It’ll be fine~!” Kaien gave her an encouraging smile, leaning down to her height. “Zero’s a good boy,” He told her, promptly ignoring the disagreeing frown a certain Pureblood gave him. “If he did bite Rosemary-San, he’d of stopped himself before any real harm was done.”

“She was _unconscious!_ ” Yuuki wailed, curling her hands into fists angrily. She wasn’t going to sit there and argue while her friend is dying! Zero… the reason why he was forcing himself to become so distant… was it because he became a Vampire? No, had Zero always been a Vampire? Can Humans even be turned into Vampires? She didn’t know. But… right now she needed to help in whatever way she could.

Kaien blinked, startled at that. “Oh… Oh dear.” He stood, a concerned expression taking over his features. He looked at his garnet-eyed friend, frowning deeply. “Kaname-Kun, can you located where the scent of blood is-”

He was cut off abruptly by the loud sound of doors being forcefully kicked open. Yuuki and Kaien both jumped, whereas Kaname just looked at Zero coldly. He held Skylar in his arms, not caring who was in the room at the moment as his gaze focused solely on the man who often tried to call himself his father.

“Do something!” He begged, standing there in the darkness of the room. It was a horrendous sight, blood everywhere on him, and Zero kept a hand pressed firmly against the wound on the unconscious Skylar’s neck. “I-I took too much!” The teen was visibly shaken by his actions, disgust and self-loathing and concern all mixing together. “I couldn’t… I couldn’t stop myself and now…” His voice cracked and he ground his teeth together, refusing to cry in front of so many people. “Just _do_ something already!”

…

Ichijou curled into Shiki’s lap, pulling his legs up until he was practically a ball. His tongue longed for the taste of that blood again-of _her_ blood again. While it staved his hunger it made him want even more, so much so that it still made it feel like he was starving. Why did he have to pull away when she was offering-?

Shiki groggily opened his eyes when he felt Ichijou’s fingers dig into his leg, the blond trembling. The redhead stared blankly, uncertain of how to react. After a moment he raised a hand and set it on his head, ruffling Ichijou’s hair and petting him awkwardly.

 _Stop deluding yourself. She_ _wasn’t_ _offering._ She was probably just showing him her injury again. Irene always did that; her thought process was probably “holy crap, look at all this blood” or something. Ichijou was being a fool thinking she could have meant anything else. Closing his eyes Ichijou leaned into Shiki’s touch, grinding his teeth together and fighting another dry cough as his instincts told him to eat.

He couldn’t find Kaname, so Rima just took him back to his dorm room where Shiki had still been resting. Since then the two have been sitting like this, Shiki having moved to Ichijou’s bed when he woke up and smelled him in the room, and the positions switched with Ichijou using Shiki as a pillow instead of vice versa. _So hungry…_ the smell of Human blood was strong, wafting around the entire Academy due to how much had been spilled. It wasn’t blood he had smelled before, but the scent reminded him a little of Skylar.

A part of him wondered if she was alright, while another part longed for the spilled blood. Kaname… where was Kaname? Probably talking to the Headmaster about Zero… he said he would be. “Shiki…”

“...Hmm?” He sounded in response, showing he was listening. The redhead had gotten a bit distracted, fiddling with Ichijou’s hair as he found it reminded him a bit of the sunlight. Shiki hated the sun, but he thought it fit the blond perfectly. Dark places didn’t suit him and if it took Shiki having to initiate physical contact in order to comfort him to help brighten his world just a little more then the redhead would force himself out of his comfort zones to do so.

“Thank you…”

Shiki blinked, pausing in the middle of running his fingers through Ichijou’s hair, and looked down at him in silent surprise. He didn’t understand. What was Ichijou thanking him for? Since he didn’t know, he didn’t say anything, and remained quiet as he rested his hand on his head. “...It’s fine.” He settled on.

He didn’t want to say “You’re welcome” as he didn’t really see what he was being thanked for, but not saying anything at all seemed rude. Shiki didn’t want to be rude to Ichijou, so he settled with the next best thing. Whatever Ichijou was thanking him for Shiki didn’t know, but the redhead would keep doing what it was he has been if it meant his friend could feel better.

A knock at their door let them know they had company. Rima walked in, bumping the door open with her hip as she carried a tray with both hands. On it was teacups. “It’s not the greatest,” She stated bluntly, setting it on the middle of the bed as she climbed onto the mattress and sat on the edge, “but I did the best I could. Lavender with chamomile.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read and review! :D I love knowing what you guys think. Also, in case you guys are interested, feel free to visit my Deviant Art. I sometimes post the stuff I draw for all my stories there. http://avionvadion2.deviantart.com/


	21. A Remembered Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> There's a little argumentation in the Night Class, more blood gets spilled, and Kaname becomes a less than happy Vampire.

When Skylar woke up she was sweating. She felt dizzy and lightheaded, and her entire body throbbed with pain. She panicked for a moment, not knowing where she was or what she had been doing before passing out, and almost fainted at the sight of a needle in her arm. Through the pounding in her skull, Skylar slowly began to recall what had happened and, swallowing down the bile, followed the cord with her eyes to see where it went and nearly threw up.

A blood bag. Was someone giving her a transfusion? If that was the case, was she in the hospital? But if that were the case, why was she here in what appeared to be the school's infirmary? She blinked in confusion and looked around, only to nearly jump in surprise at the sight of the Headmaster sitting there casually next to her bed in a chair, a book in his hands.

"H-Headmaster Cross...?"

The adult paused in his reading and looked up at her startled, thought appeared relieved that she had finally chosen to awaken. "Ah, Rosemary-San! How are you feeling?" Skylar knitted her eyebrows in confusion and once again looked at the bloodbag and the IV that was stuck into her arm, wondering if the male even had a license to do blood transfusions and if so-where had he gotten the blood bag? How did he even know what her blood type was?

Unable to stand looking at the disgusting needle she had to turn her head away, feeling rather nauseous just at the thought of it. At the sudden movement pain wracked the side of her neck, and the girl cried out and brought a hand up to cover the spot where she had been hurting. To her surprise, there was something that felt a bit like a cloth. A cloth... taped to her?

"O-Oh dear, please be careful, Rosemary-San! Kiryuu-Kun was a bit violent, so the wound is bigger than it should be... Try to sit still and not move your head around so much, alright? Wait until the transfusion is finished."

Kaien had stood up and dropped his book onto the chair, dashing over and catching her just before she fell over. Black spots danced in her vision and she felt exceedingly light headed, and if Kaien hadn't caught her and had instead let her finish falling she was certain she would be unconscious.

The memory of what happened earlier that night came to mind and the girl flinched, able to recall how useless she had been when she encountered Zero. How his eyes were such a brilliant red and how his hands had grabbed her so tightly she was unable to move or fight back... She was so scared she was going to die, yet she couldn't do anything to stop him. All she could think of as he drank her blood was of how she was going to end up like her father-killed by the hands of a Level-E that was thirsty for the taste of human blood.

"Z-Zero, he-" She tried to speak, but her voice didn't want to work. It was quiet and soft and when she spoke it cracked under the pressure and died out. Skylar went still, silent, and didn't speak anymore as her mind went over all that had happened. Zero had... broke. After so long of fighting, he finally...

Was this all her fault? Because she didn't bandage her wounds like Kaien had wanted? Skylar thought she could handle herself and anything that got thrown at her, but...

It appeared she was wrong.

...

_"Do you remember me, Irene-Chan?" He asked quietly, voice barely above a whisper. I hiccuped, the tears falling even harder now. "I'm so terribly sorry..."_

_I loosened my hold at his words, a numbness forming inside my chest. He pulled away slightly, something soft pressing against the top of my head, and I found myself being pressed against his chest in a strange, yet familiar embrace. Keeping a hand on the back of my head he pressed the side of my face into his shoulder._

_"This wasn't supposed to happen to you... I promised myself to protect you, from letting you get hurt even more... and yet now you're missing over half of your memories of me. Irene-Chan... tell me... what's making you fight to keep them even now?"_

...

There weren't as many Aristocrats in the Night Class as before, many of them missing or just skipping class. They knew who was missing and why, though there were lots of questions about the Pureblood Kuran Kaname not being there. Perhaps it had something to do with the massive blood spills earlier?

Two different scents... one calming and mildly sweet, and the other blazing and bursting with flavor. The smell of human blood was exceedingly strong, and though it had taken place mere hours ago the scents were almost suffocating to the young Vampires. It was as if they were being teased, their willpower being tested.

Aidou Hanabusa scowled heavily, scratching his pencil irritably against his notebook as he sketched. There were multiple images of Kuran Kaname in all his glory and some images even having him surrounded by rose petals, but there were less flattering ones of Kiryuu Zero and Rosemary Skylar. There was even a small sketch in the corner of someone he's been talking to recently, or more precisely _arguing_ with, and it was of Ferret Elizabeth.

He had intended it to be a mean drawing, crude and just like the way he drew Kiryuu Zero, but it came out more flattering than he liked. It was almost an exact replica-a perfect copy of her from when she was seen smiling, talking to those she called her friends. Then, not far from her, was the newest sketch he was working on; it was of a lightly drawn picture, his two newest annoyances standing back-to-back next to each other to show distance, yet companionship.

Ichijou Takuma and Taylor Irene...

Suddenly Aidou slammed his pencil down onto the desk, irritated by the sound of Ruka grouchily closing her book and Kain letting out an irritable groan, the ginger saying, "I don't understand why the Vice Dorm Head doesn't just bite Terrier-San and erase her memories of the ordeal; I know how painful it must be on him, but he also has to take into consideration what'll happen to _us_ if he actually breaks and attacks an innocent. This is going too far..."

"Indeed," Ruka muttered in response, "though what he finds so fascinating about that ridiculous Human I still don't know."

"Be quiet!" Aidou had snapped before he realized it, and once the words were out of his mouth he paused and ground his teeth together, squeezing his eyes tightly shut in annoyance as all heads turned to him in surprise. He thought about his next words carefully, not exactly sure _why_ he was suddenly feeling so defensive of the two. Or one? Was Ichijou even his friend? Shiki and Rima were, but the bubbly blond?

Even if he was Kuran Kaname's closest companion and adviser, he was still the grandson of Ichijou Asato. The old man was not someone to be trusted and with Ichijou Takuma always throwing smiles left and right and being so suspiciously bubbly even during the daytime, he just didn't know. He always seemed to love getting Aidou into trouble, too...

Now, Taylor Irene on the other hand just seemed like a total moron. Too trusting, maybe? No, that wasn't it. The boy genius thought on it, thinking about the time he had actually spoken to her and looked her in the eyes. She wasn't trusting of him _or_ Shiki then; in fact, she was terrified of the blond. But she chose to let Aidou go and even went so far as to get Shiki out of trouble when Ichijou had appeared.

She wasn't trusting, and he found himself agreeing with Ichijou's previous statement of the girl being kind. Kind and stupid. Not to mention unbearably clumsy; it was a miracle Ichijou has been able to hold back so long. He was someone to be highly respected, even if his actions made Aidou want to smack him upside the head, and for Kain or... or _anyone_ to suggest Ichijou give up now drove the teen insane.

"What happens between the Human girl and the Vice Dorm Head is their business and their business only," He said icily, narrowing his eyes at his cousins. They and Seirin were the only Aristocrats left in the classroom, Eliza and the rest being Level-C's, but nobody seemed to question him. They just looked surprised at his sudden change of heart-Eliza being the most shocked. "We are only spectators, so therefore we should just sit back on the sidelines like we're supposed to do and watch."

"But she's a _human,_ " Ruka emphasized, frowning deeply at him as she crossed her arms. A common Vampire sitting not too far away couldn't help but to raise her hand, looking very confused.

"What's wrong with being human? We all have human blood in us, don't we? Even as Aristocrats, you guys come from human descent... Shouldn't we do as Aidou-San says and support Lord Ichijou?"

Another student spoke up, standing this time, and the surprise started to spread around the room. "Yeah! I know we're not supposed to get close to the Day Class and all because our secret might be exposed, but... isn't the whole point of the Headmaster having us come here to be _building_ peace between our races? We only get to speak to the Day Class a couple times a year. That's not enough. What if we want to make friends?"

"Or have relationships?" The girl from earlier spoke. One by one more of the Level-C's started to speak, and the Aristocrats were left watching as they started to overwhelm them. "It's not like it's _that_ bad to date them, right? We understand it's dangerous, what with the blood thirst and all, but if Lord Ichijou can withstand it then wouldn't we be able to do the same? It's unfair!"

"Yeah!"

"Not all Day Class students are bad or scary!"

"We want Human friends, too!"

Throughout all the mess a single Level-C managed to slip out of the room, being the only one to notice the sudden scent of blood hanging faintly in the distance nearby. Aidou, having closed his notebook once all the yelling starting, pushed his chair in and glared. The room temperature suddenly dropped twenty degrees and his eyes, while glaring at everyone, briefly flickered to the man who had quietly snuck out of the room.

His nose twitched and, while catching the human-esque scent of lavender, could pick up the slightest hint of fresh, if not faint, blood. "That's not our decision!"

"It shouldn't _have_ to be a decision," Eliza quietly murmured, breaking through the silence that had transpired. "Vampire or Human, we should be allowed to speak with whomever we wish. The rules in the Vampire Society you live with here are completely ridiculous; they're racist and cruel. It's not like all of us are bloodthirsty and will snap at the blink of an eye."

"We don't make the rules!" He retorted, frowning deeply. It wasn't like he had anything _against_ Humans; he just didn't really care for them. They were a delicious food source; why would he want to go out of his way for one?

A sudden memory of a girl with short hair flashed through his mind and Aidou tried not to wince, refusing to remember such a dark time of his life. It happened many years ago, when the Night Class had just been first established. There was no reason why he should focus on it now. She was dead and in the past.

Clearing his throat and trying to push the memories back, he continued. "The Purebloods that rule above us do... as well as the Vampire Hunter Association."

"Well, it's stupid." She said bluntly in response, frowning at him. Ruka suddenly spoke up, stating her opinion.

"Well, for one thing I believe Akatsuki has the right idea. If not that, then Lord Kaname should go and erase Lord Takuma's memories of the girl. If he doesn't remember her, he'll have no "feelings", and therefore he won't be hungry."

 _Annnd_ angry Eliza is back. The fury that lit up in her eyes was almost blinding, and while Aidou recoiled away and stepped back towards his desk in fear of her temper he found his eyes locked onto her. She was always so different when angry; normally she's calm and laid-back, and so long as he tiptoed carefully around her and didn't bring up certain topics or said something inappropriate she was actually rather pleasant to be around. But the moment someone mentioned _anything_ that could be detrimental to someone she cared about...

Well, it wasn't pretty. Her lips curled back and the brunette bared her fangs at Ruka, glaring darkly at her as she growled. "Don't you _dare!_ " She snapped, raising her voice and slamming her pencil down on the desk hard enough to snap the utensil in half. "You are not erasing _anyone's_ memories, nonetheless Upperclassman Ichijou's! Do you have any _idea_ how close Irene is to remembering everything about him!? You aren't ruining everything she's been working up towards! I won't have you messing around with someone else's life!"

"...She... remembers...?" Ruka blinked, dumbfounded, and at that moment the bell signaling the end of class tolled. In an angry fuss, her eyes burning just slightly, Eliza grabbed her things and marched out of the classroom, storming down the hall angrily. _How...?_ Ruka wondered, at a loss for words. _How could a simple-minded, ignorant human girl like that_ _remember_ _?_

Honestly, what was so special about her? She was just as human as the rest of the Day Class, and aren't Americans supposed to be barbarians? Why on earth would someone as respectable and intelligent as Ichijou take a fancy to one?

 _Then again..._ She thought, recalling some of his more odd habits. Habits such as keeping strange piles of random objects all over his dorm room, Shiki actually being _one_ of those many collections himself, and how Ichijou would often force his manga upon the other Vampires to read. Not to mention how he'll "stay up" during the day to read when he's supposed to be sleeping... because he's nocturnal. _I take it back. He's an idiot._

Packing up her books and holding them against her side, one hand pressing against her forehead as a headache started to form, she sighed. "This is so stupid... I don't understand it at all."

"Well, imagine it was you," Kain spoke up, looking down at her and following her as she started to walk out of the classroom. "If someone erased me from your memory, wouldn't you try to remember?" His eyes held a small bit of hope, and his long legs easily helped him catch up to where they were walking side-by-side.

Ruka turned her head, staring at him blankly, before turning away with a light pink spreading across her face. Ruka knew he meant it innocently, but she took it in a completely different way. "I don't like you _that_ much, you thick-headed moron."

He didn't look offended. Kain just chuckled at her response and gave a slight smile, before tucking his hands into his pants pockets. There were footsteps behind and in front of them, everyone leaving the classroom at separate times but all going the same way, and when the people in front of them stopped walking Kain and Ruka were both very confused, especially when the scent of blood became very prominent. They had been so engrossed in conversation earlier, and they were so used to that specific scent, that they just passed it off without a second thought.

Kain, tall and bulky, easily pushed his way through the crowd until he stood a good ten feet away from a sleeping human and a _very_ furious Vampire that was threatening to kill one that had been frozen to the wall, and the very furious Vampire was being held back by a rather terrified Aidou.

"C-Calm down, Ferret! He's immobile; he can't do anything now!"

"He _bit_ her! He bit Irene! I'm going to fucking _kill_ him!"

"I understand your anger, but if you kill him now Lord Kaname might kill you in response! We have to act tactfully!" Aidou looked rather angry himself, but had at least managed to calm down enough to think. Eliza still struggled, looking a bit like she wanted to strangle Aidou as well as the man the blond had frozen to the wall, but relaxed in his hold and just settled for glaring angrily at the floor.

He carefully let her go, eying her suspiciously in case she did anything, but Eliza just crossed her arms and moped. The sight was almost cute in his eyes, but the second the thought came to him he banished it and told himself that he was being delusional. All girls were cute, after all; appearance had nothing to do with personality. Aidou shook his head frantically, ignoring the odd looks he received for that, and then walked forward to glare sternly at the man.

Meanwhile, blood was seeping out of the sleeping girl's right wrist. Two holes stood out against the flesh, injuries created from when the man had bit her. Voice low and furious, Aidou growled, "Do you have any idea what you have done?"

The man looked at him defiantly, clearly having no fear. It was a foolish mistake, but after seeing someone just as common a Vampire as he was defy the upperclass nobles so much he had gotten a bit bold. "As if you're one to talk. You get into trouble constantly for attacking girls and drinking their blood!"

"But her blood wasn't yours to take!" He snapped. "Those girls were different; they weren't Taylor-San! Her blood is Ichijou's and by doing this you might have ruined any chances we had at her accepting Vampires! If she wakes up and sees that bite mark, what do you think she's going to assume!?"

"That she was bitten by a snake," Eliza replied dryly. Aidou blinked, shut up, and turned his head to look at her in confusion. "She'll probably make a joke about Vampires, but she doesn't actually believe they exist. I would know; I've been friends with her for years. She might even think a spider did it." That poor girl is utterly terrified of them. Eliza doesn't even know if Irene even _knows_ what spider bites look like. "Still, it pisses me off... You're lucky I didn't run you through when I had the chance, because-"

As Eliza went off into another rant, Kain and Ruka took that as their chance to walk over and kneel down beside the sleeping human. Kain reached out and shook her lightly, but when she gave no response other than a light whimper he frowned. He took notice of the tears staining her face.

"I'm beginning to think she has a target painted on her," He muttered bluntly to Ruka, who just scoffed.

"I don't understand _why_ though; there's nothing interesting about her. One day she just decided to run out in front of the entire Night Class during the switch, and then suddenly _everyone_ has a fascination with her."

"I think you're looking too much into it," Kain responded, calmly sliding his hands underneath the sleeping girl's knees and back in order to lift her up. Ruka looked confused when he picked up Irene, and she crossed her arms irritably. "It's not that complicated as to why everyone seems to be around her recently; she's friends with the Vice Dorm Head, after all. They probably respect her."

"I'd hardly call them friends," She grumped. "With how much Lord Takuma has been lusting for her blood, I'd say they were more than that."

Kain stood up, the sleeping girl completely limp in his arms, and he looked down when she let out another whimper. Ruka narrowed her eyes and stepped closer, staring down at her and observing her. Irene looked like a normal human; she certainly didn't have the level of beauty Vampires had, but it wasn't like she was unattractive.

Chocolate hair and long eyelashes, a natural pouty mouth, and a very round face. If it weren't for the stitches and the circles underneath her eyes, Ruka would dare call her pretty. The bump in the nose was the only thing that ruined the image.

Although... if given a choice and she had to choose which human girl she thought more attractive, she would have to say the Hunter girl. She, too, had a round face, but unlike Irene she had a small, sloping button-nose and full lips, and her eyes, while young, held a maturity someone her age should be lacking. Compared to her, Taylor Irene looked like a small child.

The Vampire narrowed her eyes at the sleeping Human, her fingers twitching. _A small child..._ No. She shouldn't think like that. That girl was not a child. Therefore Ruka was _not_ going to be nice to her. Cross Yuuki looked like a small child, too, but Ruka wasn't friendly towards her either. _...I want to dress someone up now. Damn it._ Balling her hands up into fists she glared, staring darkly at the girl Kain was holding.

 _Just what does Lord Takuma find so fascinating about her?_ It couldn't be her appearance; Ichijou gave no thought to such things. _Perhaps..._ Ruka heard rumors about when Aidou had attacked her... everyone said that she had let him go free and convinced Ichijou not to punish him. Was it her supposed "kindness" Ruka has heard about or the girl's blatant stupidity that caused Ichijou to take an interest? Her eyebrow twitched when she heard the crowd around them start to whisper.

_"That's the girl, isn't it...?"_

_"The one always with Lord Ichijou?"_

_"Hasn't she been hanging out with Shiki-San and Touya-San recently?"_

_"She's the one that's always with that Huntress!"_

_"She looks so much more normal than I had been expecting..."_

_"Why is she here? Isn't she supposed to be sleeping at this hour?"_

"Shut up already!" Aidou growled snapping and glaring at everyone. He was beginning to be put into a very dour mood, and if this kept going on he was going to seriously maim somebody. Ah, but if he did that then Kaname might get mad at him... hmm. "What are you all doing here still, anyway?"

So many Vampires had gathered due to the crowd blocking the way, and eventually had spread out so they were making a rather large circle. From all the other classes that had ended, the crowd had expanded to the point where no one would be able to make their way through the hallway.

Seeing the impassable hallway Aidou felt a small bead of sweat drip down the side of his face, easily figuring out the reason why. He opened his mouth to speak again, but a voice smoothly cut him off.

"What are you all doing...?"

Everyone went silent. Nobody spoke, some people actually stopped breathing, and the guy that was frozen to the wall choked on the remnants of the blood he had in his mouth. "L-Lord Kuran..."

"Lord Kaname!" Aidou gasped, turning his head to stare at the Pureblood. He watched as the lower class Vampires parted for him-or at the very least attempted to-and the man walked elegantly towards him and the rest of the Aristocrats Aidou was with. "Wh-Why are you here? Weren't you speaking to Headmaster Cross?"

Kaname stopped walking, turning his garnet gaze onto the blond and then looking at the girl Kain was holding. "I smelled the blood... You." He looked up at the man frozen on the wall and he froze. Kaname narrowed his eyes. "Hirogashi-San... was it? You were the one who attacked a Day Class student... What do you have to say for yourself?"

"Th-That... it... It's her fault, isn't it!? It's always her blood that's being spilled-she's never _not_ bleeding! How was I supposed to resist!?" His voice cracked near the end and he stopped talking, looking fearfully at the Pureblood before the ice surrounding him suddenly melted and he fell to the ground. The Level-C grunted. "L-Lord Kuran, I-I..."

"Be quiet. Drinking from a human on campus is forbidden; you should have been aware of this. Aidou."

The blond yelped and stood up straighter, arms held closely against his side. "Y-Yes, Lord Kaname!?" He flinched when he heard how high pitch his voice went. Why was he suddenly so scared? It wasn't as if _he_ had taken her blood; Kaname should have no need to punish him. Unless... was it possible Kaname wasn't just angry at the man, but for the reason that the girl's blood was taken by someone who _wasn't_ Ichijou?

"Take this man away and give him a suitable punishment for his actions. I have... other matters to deal with at the moment. As for the girl... Kain, I want you to bring her to the Moon Dorms; I wish to speak with her about something when she awakens."

"What!? But why!?" Ruka blurted her thoughts out without thinking, more than alarmed. She knew he harbored feelings for the prefect Cross Yuuki, and that knowledge alone was heartbreaking, but now he was going out of his way for this human girl as well? "Is it because of Lord Takuma? I know Ferret-San said that the girl was remembering him, but you can't honestly believe she-"

"Ruka." The girl went silent, closing her mouth and recoiling when Kaname looked at her sternly. "You speak out of turn."

"M... My apologies..." She bowed, flinching. "Please forgive me."

"...For punishment, you are to help Kain escort Terrier-San to the Moon Dorms. You are to watch over her until she wakes up. Only then will you be forgiven."

"Y-Yes, of course. Th-Thank you for your leniency."

"Now go."

She nodded and quickly hurried over to Kain, who walked away at the urging of Ruka. Meanwhile, Aidou took the time to freeze the rogue Vampire's arms together and grabbed him by the back of the scruff, while Eliza grabbed him by the front of his shirt collar. All in all, they were pretty much choking him as they dragged him away. The two Vampires constantly argued, but when they had a common enemy they seemed to work effectively well together.

Once more, Kain glanced down at the girl in his arms. She was still crying, but the pained look faded and instead she just looked rather... lifeless. What on earth could she be dreaming about?

...

"Um, you really should eat, Rosemary-San." The Headmaster tried to convince, frowning worriedly. After the transfusion he had left the room, only to come back with hordes of food. It had taken about an hour, so she could only assume he had eaten before coming back with something for her to snack on. Unfortunately, due to the current state the girl was in, she didn't have much of an appetite.

Kaien carefully set the bowl back down on the tray he had set on the nightstand, sighing in defeat. Skylar just continued staring into nothing, wondering why everything had happened as it did. For someone who hated Vampires so much... why did she find it so hard to bring herself to shoot him? It wasn't like he was one of her exceptions.

Zero was falling down to Level-E. She should have put him out of his misery, and yet...

"I dropped it..."

Kaine blinked, confused, and looked up at her. "Eh?"

"The gun..." She murmured, curling her fingers as the scene flashed through her mind. Her eyes weren't focused, instead dazed and distant. "Wh-When he attacked me, I... dropped the gun. I couldn't shoot." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I-I couldn't _shoot_... Why couldn't I shoot?"

"Rosemary-San..." The Ex-Hunter looked rather sad as he stared at her, knowing she was probably breaking inside right now. Closing his eyes, Kaien breathed in deeply and stood. "I've sent Kiryuu-Kun back to his room for the time being so he can try and calm down. Yuuki is... sleeping as of the moment, as she was put into quite a shock as well. She and Kiryuu-Kun have known each other for four years, but never has she been told about his being a Vampire. I'll leave the food here for you to eat later... Meanwhile," He yawned loudly and stretched.

She paid no attention whatsoever as he waddled his way over to one of the extra infirmary beds, the Headmaster collapsing inelegantly on it and passing out after mumbling something about Kaname temporarily taking over for him. Skylar just remained sitting, staring into nothing.

The gun was right in her hands. It didn't matter how she felt, if she had believed they were no longer enemies; a threat was a threat and she should have terminated it. Zero had no control. That's why... That's why...

She was unable to finish the thought, choking on a sob as the tears threatened to fall from her eyes. Skylar was supposed to be stronger than this; she was supposed to be able to protect herself and those she cared about. So why was she unable to kill Zero?

...

When I woke up my entire body wracked with pain. My right arm felt like that of a noodle, and I could barely move at all. I groaned, feeling a bit like I had gotten ran over with a truck, and tried to sit up. My eyes hurt-burning as if I had been crying-and when I moved darkness enveloped my vision and I collapsed back onto the couch I had been sleeping on.

 _Wh-What...?_ Through my blurry vision I was able to make out a familiar room. _This is... the Moon Dorm?_ What was I doing here? I blinked rapidly and sat there in silence until the world stopped spinning and the black spots in my vision went away. I tried to think back, to figure out what had led me to being here, but I honestly couldn't recall.

I gingerly brought a hand up to my face, rubbing at my eyes-only to pause when I felt a sudden wetness. Was I... crying? What for? A realization dawned on me.

 _That dream..._ It was a depressing dream, that was for certain, and it was filled with fear and heartbreak. Ichijou Takuma was in it; he was... what _was_ he doing? I knit my eyebrows together, feeling the headache form, and winced as I started to get dizzy again. I know what the dream was about; ever since the incident at the restaurant happened and I cut my hand, I've been thinking on it like crazy.

It may have only been a few hours, it now being morning-time, but I thought hard on what happened and all the possibilities until I fell asleep. Those glowing red eyes, that... _hungry_ look when he saw the blood. The way he seemed to restrain himself and... my missing memories. _Was my amnesia really an accident?_ Perhaps my nightmare was brought on because of that one thought, but... if it were true, then could Ichijou really have had something to do with it?

Aside from the throbbing migraine I received trying to recall memories, I gained a massive headache just trying to remember my dream and what exactly happened. I was... in the Headmaster's guest room again, and... I was crying. I think I had problems remembering something in the dream, too; it was almost as if that dream was a continuation from the other of when that woman with the red eyes had attacked me.

But, while I was still having trouble remember Ichijou, he had appeared in the dream as himself. He... He looked confused. Then relieved. And... when I tried to say his name... it wouldn't... it wouldn't come out. I wasn't able to remember his name.

_I don't want to forget._

Even if I don't remember the face, at least let me keep the name in my thoughts. I-I can't... Oh god, why does it hurt? I brought a hand up to my chest, digging my fingers into my shirt and squeezing my stinging eyes tightly shut. My heart felt like it was being torn into shreds, ripped apart by emotions and the friendship I had lost.

As I opened my eyes, I tried desperately to recall something- _anything_ that could have happened. I looked around the room slowly, trying to find some kind of key object that would let a memory come to me. It was when I was staring into the distance beside me that I realized-

 _I've been on this couch before._ Not once, but twice. I reached a hand out and carefully pressed it on the cushion beside me. _Ichijou... sat here._ Next to me, hugging me... no. I-I was pinned down, right? A-And... he was complaining about something. _What was it?_ I need to... to...

_"It's not fair~ I knew you first, but you only say nice things to her?"_

Rima. Rima was here. A-And Shiki! I was trembling at this point, pushing myself up shakily until I was sitting on my knees, and reached a hand out to the thin air where the images from my mind were playing out. "H-Here..." I choked, my heart pounding in my skull as the dark spots started to spread in the corners of my vision. I felt extremely weak. "Sh-Shiki... Shiki-San and Rima-San... were here..."

Suddenly my body decided it wanted to give out and I fell, barely having the strength to cry out as I hit the armrest of the couch. I flinched, grunting in pain, and attempted to push myself back up only to fail. I almost didn't hear the soft sigh in the distance, the stranger's voice filled with annoyance and exasperation "I can't believe this is actually happening... Do you seriously remember Lord Takuma?"

That person... I recognize that person's voice. Breathing heavily and still leaning over the armrest I turned my head to get a sideways look at a girl with long, wavy brunette hair and light brown eyes. A slim figure and adorned in a lilac dress, her eyes were glaring almost scornfully at me. "I... I know you..." She was here the day I was looking for Skylar. This woman was the one who had played tug-of-war with my arm against Shiki, who had been trying to get me to talk to Ichijou. "W-Wait... "Lord" Takuma?"

They were on a first-name basis? For some reason, and I wasn't entirely sure why, I felt a bit bothered by that. More than that though- _why did she use the honorific "-Sama" when talking about him? "-Sempai" would be more understandable seeing as he's an Upperclassman, but... "Lord"? Really?_ Unless...

Damn it, I forgot it again. I keep forgetting Cross Academy was a school for genius, rich kids. Just how high up was Ichijou's family? "He's... a "Lord"?" I inquired in confusion, brain not really wishing to process much. My thought process went back to the glowing eyes and it made me wonder if-just for a moment-he was someone highly important in... whatever society or group he was in.

The girl just huffed and crossed her arms, glaring down at me. "Tell me this, human; what is your exact relationship with him? Why are you trying so hard to remember; why won't you just willingly _forget_?"

"Th-That is..." I began, only to cut myself off and frown, using all my strength to stubbornly push myself so I could lean against the back of the couch and properly look at her. The black spots were increasing now, and it took everything I had not to faint. "I..."

I don't want to lose a friend. I don't want to lose _him_. A pain twisted in my chest, hurting more now than ever before. All I could think of was that man's smile, how bright and beautiful and _happy_ it was, and for a moment... For a small, very brief moment, I thought I was drowning. Drowning in a sea of memories, filled with emotions that ranged from longing all the way up to despair.

"I just-I just want my friend back..." My voice cracked, breaking and quieting down despite how it went higher in pitch. Tears filled my eyes and I choked up. I fought against the sob, swallowing the painful lump that was forming in my throat, and had to force out the words as I said, "H-He's important to me; I-I don't want to lose him again..."

My fingers dug into the fabric of the couch and I squeezed my burning eyes shut, breathing shakily and trying to calm down. _It's okay. It's okay._ I remember; it's fine. Sniffling and tightening my jaw as my lips curled back, I forced myself to open my eyes. The girl-Souen, now that I can think properly-looked stunned at my response.

"S-So, wh-what's... what's wrong with trying to remember him?" Was it because of the difference in our social statuses? Because he... Because he wasn't exactly _Human?_ I knew I should shut up, before I actually started blubbering like the crybaby that I was, but I was sick of this. If someone was toying with my life, with my _mind_ , I wasn't going to let them do it with ease. Ichijou was _my_ friend, and so help me if someone tries to take him away from me again there _will_ be hell to pay. "What's wrong with _remembering_ the people y-you _care_ about?"

Oh god, the tears are falling. The tears are falling. Aghhhh! No. No, it's okay. I'm fine. We can do this. Little pep speech; come on, girl, you got this. Phew. J-Just... Just a little backtalking, right? It's fine. It's _fine_. You're not going to get in trouble...

Right?

Souen stared at me for a long moment, her wide eyes gradually returning their usual size, but the annoyance-while still being there-had greatly diminished. There actually was a hint of... what- _respect?_ -in her eyes. Suddenly she huffed, unfolded her arms and placed a hand on her hip, and flicked her hair over her shoulder once more as she turned around. I blinked, tilting my head in confusion as I tried to ignore my growing headache.

"Whatever... it's not like it's up to me as to what happens to you, anyway. As if I care either, really. What happens to you is completely up to Lord Kaname; my job here is done. Goodbye."

I watched as she haughtily walked off from view, but she didn't seem as... well, _mean_ as she said that. The air she gave off wasn't as malicious as it had been when I first saw her. ...I think I'm just tired. Trying to ignore what she had said about "doing her job" I moved and laid back down on the couch, closing my eyes and slowing my breathing.

 _I really... need to stop._ I just keep making things worse for myself; seriously, just moving my fingers hurt and every time I spoke it stretched my bottom lip and threatened to rip the flesh due to the stitches the Headmaster had put on. Not to mention I still have the massive bruise on my cheek from when that chick had slapped me; the cut from her nail _still_ hasn't healed. I'm going to be sent back home with my face covered in scars and dad is going to wonder if I became part of a gang. He'll tease me about it for sure. And mom... well, she'll throw a fit. _God, my head hurts. Quit thinking._

I just... I just need a few days of nothing. No heartache or feels, no tears or confusion, no running and certainly no screaming. Just... a relaxing day of sleep and healing.

Calming down to the point of numbness, barely able to feel the limbs attached to my body, I ended up drifting off. My dream consisted of warmth- the dream-me waking up to see a lovely face beaming in amusement down at me. Shaking me...

_"It's time to get up, "sleeping-in-late-San"~ The breakfast the Headmaster made looks very good, so if you don't get up now and eat it I'll eat it for you."_

Don't you dare... stealing my food... Suddenly, the dream changed. It became less pleasant, darkness surrounding all around, and I found myself standing in a forest. Why I was in a forest I wasn't entirely sure, but I think I was waiting for someone. Rustling. Voices...

Fear gripped my heart like a vice. I didn't... no. Not that. Anything but that. I don't want to remember that. _Go away!_

Inhaling sharply, I let out a gasp and sat up, breathing heavily and sitting up with a hand over my chest. Unfortunately, the jerking movement was too much for my ill body to take and the world blackened for a moment, fading in-and-out, and I fell back. That was when I saw it.

On my right wrist, perfectly symmetrical to each other, were two indents. Not perfectly round-shaped, but the wounds were deep and scabbed over with dry blood. Being careful about how fast I sat up this time I kept my eyes on the injury, freezing up just slightly as I recalled the feeling of something running across my neck.

N-Not Ichijou... It wasn't Ichijou who did that and scared me. Who?

_No!_

My mind screamed at me, my heart wavering and retreating in fear at the dark memory. It didn't want to recall how scared it had been, how _frightening_ that moment was. I didn't want to remember how traumatized I had been. B-But... was the memory really what I think it is? It doesn't make much sense, especially since I know, or at least think I know, that the Night Class students aren't entirely human.

_How am I even so sure that it was a Night Class student?_

A tongue running across the flesh on my neck... threatening danger and horrors. Breathing shallow, my vision fading from color to black-and-white, a face tried to form itself in my mind. A-A sneer... a vicious sneer a-and... and...

_I'm scared. Nobody came to help me..._

I felt hollow. Hollow and cold and so very, _very_ alone. Clawing at my neck with my nails I tried to get rid of that feeling-that feeling of complete and utter helplessness. I didn't like being touched, I didn't like being _harassed._ I hated being forced out of my comfort-zone and I utterly despised being alone because I got so _scared_.

A-And then... someone... someone tried to...

A voice snapped me out of my thoughts, breaking me out of my trance, and it was only when I gasped loudly for air that I realized I hadn't been breathing at all. I coughed painfully, my lungs crying as they begged for air, and I greedily devoured the necessary oxygen. Still wheezing a little, I fearfully turned to gaze at the newcomer, having to lift my head up to stare at the man for he was nearly as tall as Ichijou.

"I see you've finally awoken," The man murmured, his voice soft, but unlike Shiki's quiet voice this man's could be compared to being almost as smooth as silk itself. Velvety and light... yet deep and filled with authority. He looked very familiar, what with his curly, dark chocolate hair and unbelievably dark garnet eyes. "How are you feeling? ...Terrier-San, was it?"

"H-Huh? O-Oh... yeah." It took a moment for me to register he was speaking to me. I was a bit stunned at his appearance, and even more so by how attractive he was. He looked almost otherworldly, even just standing there in a loose, button-up burgundy shirt that he had halfway tucked into a pair of white casual-dress pants.

If I didn't know any better I would have thought _he_ was the model rather than Shiki, what with his elegant features, but... I'm not sure. He and Shiki actually did look slightly alike, having the same sharp eyes and chin, but... while he was greatly handsome I found my mind going back to one person-

One person who was constantly beautiful, even when holding open curtains and allowing the sunlight to glimmer against him as he looked outside with a smile, a hand just slightly above his eyes so not to be blinded by the sun's bright rays. While just a memory, and one I had only recently regained, I could still see it so clearly.

How his pale skin seemed to glow in the light, his blond hair reflecting against the sunshine... and his green eyes that just seemed to _sparkle_. I was never a fan of the bright light of day, always preferring to lounge about inside and sleep or remain on my laptop all day, but... if it meant wandering about during the godawful daylight hours to talk to him, I had a feeling I would do it. I just couldn't get enough of seeing him smiling as bright as the sun itself whenever he was speaking about something he was passionate about.

From pranks to horror stories, and even about how he was thinking about overthrowing Kaname as Dorm Head...

With a start and wide eyes, I realized I recalled something. Ichijou liked scary things. I was never a fan of horror movies; I've seen too many when I was little due to my cousins and "aunt" constantly playing them, but I don't think I ever really minded when Ichijou spoke about them. No, that's wrong. I _didn't_ mind when he spoke about them. I had a feeling I always just sat there and listened, and even occasionally covered my ears jokingly and cried out dramatically about how I didn't want to hear anymore because of how grotesque some of the manga he read could get.

He... He always just laughed. He laughed, and I would uncover my ears, and we would continue talking about it. Some actual studying would get done, but not a whole lot. I would change the subject to Shoujo Manga, and then _he_ would start listening. Attentively. It was... embarrassing, slightly, though I'm not sure why. Perhaps because I was talking about female romance mangas to a guy?

Without realizing, an action that had been starting to become a habit for me, I pressed the palm of my hand against my forehead as it throbbed. My attention was redirected from the newcomer to nothing in particular, just staring into empty space as my thoughts went crazy.

Ichijou...

...

"Irene! Where is she!?"

He could smell her; she was there. In the Moon Dorms. She was _one floor below him_ and it was driving him _insane._ Shiki had his arms wrapped firmly around Ichijou's waist, barely even trying as the blond tried to march himself out of the dormroom with Aidou and Kain blocking the doorway. Ichijou was practically dragging the red head, the male model allowing his legs to slide uncomfortably against the carpet ground as he kept his face buried in Ichijou's lower back.

"Aidou, Kain, let me out!" The blond was getting quickly aggravated by their actions, and while he had been told that he got mad at trivial things he didn't really think this was something "trivial" this time. It wasn't as though Aidou had taken all his tea without asking again and drank it all. No-this was about something _much_ much more important.

Rima, still inside the room and watching the scene take place, sighed and placed a hand on her hip. "This is so stupid... Just let him through, Kain-San. He's not going to listen."

"..." Kain was clearly bothered by what she said, but remained firm and didn't budge, even as Ichijou tried to nudge them aside by pushing his shoulder into his and Aidou's chests. The golden blond, while physically weaker than the nimble Ichijou, stubbornly refused to budge. "You know we can't," The ginger finally settled on, knitting his unkempt eyebrows together. "We have-"

"We have orders from Lord Kaname to stop you from interfering with his conversation!" Aidou declared loudly, cutting his cousin. Kain blinked, but didn't look that annoyed as he sighed. Sometimes, Aidou felt more like a little brother than his cousin. He wondered if his relationship with Aidou was anything like that Huntress' relationship with the human girl.

He's only really spoken to the girl once, and that had happened when (though he will never admit it out loud) he got lost trying make his way back to the dorms after taking a stroll one night. She _really_ didn't seem to like Kaname all that much, but after she figured out Kain was lost she helped guide him back to the Moon Dorms and that was that.

From what he's seen of her when she hung out in the Night Classes, and when they ran into each other that one time, she seemed like the total opposite of what he heard Ichijou's new friend was. Kain was seriously beginning to believe that Irene had some strange knack for attracting trouble, even if she went out of her way to avoid trouble herself. But, while that is so, Shiki and Rima _did_ seem to have a small liking to the girl. It made him wonder just what kind of human she was, and if she really was so interesting as to have caught the interest of not only Ichijou, but two of the more apathetic Vampires in Cross Academy.

...

"Terrier-San...?" I blinked in surprise, startled, and almost jumped out of my skin when I saw the man standing in front of me, waving his hand in front of my face. His expression was overall blank, if not for the slightest hint of curiosity in his eyes. "Is something the matter? Are you still ill from your fall earlier?"

"Fall?"

He stood up straight, stepping away, and nodded. "One of my classmates found you unconscious in the hallway of the school... If you don't mind my asking; what were you doing there?"

I froze at his question, innocent as it may have been, and stared at him with wide eyes. I wasn't sure why, but I felt... danger around him. It was much stronger compared to what I felt when I was near Shiki and Rima, especially since around those two I actually felt _safe_ despite the light threat the air around them gave off, and I knew that if I didn't tread carefully I would probably be eaten alive. A rabbit underneath the gaze of a wolf... that's what this felt like, anyway.

But... why _was_ I in the school? I thought on it, trying to recall my reasoning for getting up in the middle of the night. Did I have another nightmare, or was it for a different reason? I... remember running around the school hallways frantically... and hurting because I couldn't breathe. I-I woke up because...

"Skylar!" I blurted it out without thinking, and the man in front of me actually looked a little surprised. Skylar was hurt! I tried to stand, the world spinning around me, but I placed my hands on the armrest and twisted sideways in order to remain on my feet. "I-I need to find Skylar; she's-she's-!"

Danger. Skylar was in danger. I need to find her. Help her.

I won't let her be hurt.

"What's wrong with Rosemary-San?" He questioned suspiciously. I shook my head breathlessly, wishing he would shut up so I could stop talking and breathe, which in turn would allow me to move without collapsing. At least... mostly. I had a feeling one of the reasons why I kept getting so lightheaded and nauseous was for something much greater. I refused to think on it though, scared of being wrong. "Why do you need to find her?"

"B-Because!" I wasn't sure how to argue _why_. I just felt something was wrong. "I-I don't know; something bad's going to happen-no, something bad _did_ happen, I-I just... I don't know _what_ , but she's in danger, okay!?" I was starting to get a bit annoyed, pained and frightened and worried for my friend. I knew what was wrong, but at the same time I had no clue.

"...I think you should sit back down, Terrier-San."

I shook my head and tried to move away, aiming to go to the front door, but his hand reached out and caught my wrist to stop me. His garnet eyes were staring at me coldly now, _demanding_ even, and I felt a shiver go down my spine in fear. I went silent, the words catching in my throat, and I stared at him dead in the eyes with my head lifted up.

The silence was suffocating, neither of us saying anything for a moment, when he spoke again. "Just what makes you believe she is, or was, in danger?" His voice was level, and was underlined with a hint of threat. "What do you know, Terrier-San?"

"I-I don't-" What is he talking about? "I-I don't know..."

I flinched when the fingers he had wrapped around my wrist tightened. It took all I had not to cry out when the bruises that I still had from Shiki dragging me around the one day ached in response to his harsh touch. On my other wrist were bruises from Ichijou that I received from the restaurant. Everyone really seems to love leaving contusions on my hands, huh?

I ground my teeth together, trying to resist the urge to complain. I wanted to yank my arm away, but I knew that I was too weak to do so. Just how on earth was I supposed to get out of this situation? His questions didn't make any sense either; I didn't know how to answer them. And when I did, what I said never made any sense. How did I "know"? I can't even say.

"You're a smart girl, Terrier-San; I think you know better than to hide the truth in a situation you clearly can not escape from. What makes you believe Rosemary-San was harmed?"

I stared at him, searching his eyes, and came to the conclusion that I should avoid answering honestly. Even if it was against my morals, this clearly wasn't a good situation to blurt out all the strange things I've been seeing. I observed his facial features-the delicate cheekbones and the strong jawline, the tired eyes and the dark lashes...

Where have I seen him before? Suddenly, it hit me. _Yuuki._ He looked like Yuuki. I've also seen him in the Headmaster's Office-he was with Ichijou, right? The blond spoke about him constantly-he was the one Ichijou spoke about overthrowing all the time.

"I... I remember..." His lips, which were in a thin line, tilted downwards just the slightest. My eyes, which had been dazed just moments ago, looked up at him with an almost innocent gaze of wonder. "I... I saw you in the office... You were there with Ichijou-Kun. You're... You're "Kaname-Kun", right?"

His hand, which had been gripping my wrist like a vice, loosened just slightly. His cold expression once again became hard to read. "You know who I am." It wasn't a question; it was a statement. Kaname sounded not one ounce of surprised when he said that. "When did you start remembering?"

 _When did I...?_ I blinked dumbly, closing my mouth as I found myself unable to answer once again. This man asked such hard questions and I... I don't know how to respond. He was terrifying, complicated, and clearly the kind of person I didn't want to mess with. Why I _would_ mess with him is beyond me, but I'm just making an observation here.

"Well?" His hold started tightening again.

 _Why... do I even have to answer that? Why is my memory any of HIS business? Who I make friends with... who I keep memories of..._ My mind went wild with thoughts and I slowly raised my head up to meet his gaze, expression becoming blank and cold. He showed no response to my sudden personality change, but something flickered in his lifeless eyes. _This is the "Kaname" Ichijou spoke up, the "Kaname" Kaien mentioned..._

My memory loss wasn't an accident. I'm sure of it now. It was orchestrated. This man... he wasn't human. Garnet eyes... how is that a normal eye color? Everyone in the Night Class looked exceedingly different-so different, in fact, it was almost hard to believe they were pure Japanese. Well, aside Eliza. She wasn't Japanese at all. Still super intelligent and pretty, though.

But if these people weren't human, instead something else... something... _Vampire-esque_... could they have taken my memories by will? I didn't wake up with a concussion; I was perfectly fine aside from my apparent "amnesia". And that dream-that nightmare I just had... had... _Ichijou_ been the one to erase my memory?

I knit my eyebrows together, still silent and aware that I had been quiet for far too long. I, not knowing what else to do, decided to take the risk. I frowned at Kaname, staring at him with an expression so blank and cold it would have unnerved Skylar and Eliza if they were ever to see it, and asked quietly, " _Why?_ "

"...I'm sorry?"

" _Why?_ " My voice hardened, raising in volume, and though it hurt I balled the hand he had captive into a fist. It wasn't able to last long though, as my limp noodle of an arm was too weak to remain like that for long and my fingers went numb again. "What's it matter to you? How do you even know about my amnesia? _Why_ -"

My voice cracked, but I managed to hold back the flinch and continued to stare him him down. I kept my voice as clear and strong as I could, ignoring the trembling in my legs and the racing of my heart.

"Why do _you_ care about anything having to do with me!? My amnesia has absolutely _nothing_ to do with you and it is honestly _ticking me off_ that so many people are getting involved with it! Ichijou-Kun, Shiki-San, Rima-San; fine, fine, they're fine, but you? Souen-San? I've never spoken to either of you before! The only reason I can think of for you being so-so... _involved_ is if you had taken my memory yourself, and I know that's not possible because it was a _chick_ that had attacked me and Ichijou who had apologized to me!"

_"I'm sorry, Irene-Chan. You'll forget all this, but... I hope you can forgive me."_

I was talking, not really yelling, but I always got so loud when excited due to talking for long amounts of time that there wasn't really much difference except for me occasionally quieting in a mixture of hesitation, fear, and wondering if I was speaking Japanese correctly. Sometimes I forgot I was even speaking it.

"I don't know, _Kan-a-me-Kun_ ," I mocked, leaning to the side slightly and tilting my head as I raised my eyebrows up at him. "Did you have something to do with my memory loss? Because, really, I would _love_ to know. Because taking them away... was the _worst_ thing you could have _ever_ done. Ichijou was my _friend-!_ "

All my patience was gone. I barely had it in the first place due to all the crap I had been dealing with these past few days, but through my fear and stress and just _anger_ at this situation I couldn't take it anymore. I've had enough. Without care towards consequence of my actions I tried to shove Kaname away, to push him back and regain control of my arm. It failed, obviously, and it just seemed to irritate him, but I didn't really care. I was pissed.

"He was my friend and you _took him away from me!_ I want him back!" I was pulling on my arm at this point, voice even louder, and was desperate to get away so I could go find the blond. Tears burned my eyes, my skull throbbing, and as the world started to spin I became breathless and lightheaded. "L-Let go! L-Let... Let me go..." So... dizzy. No. No, I need to find him! I won't lose him! My legs felt like jello and I found myself choking back a sob as I tried to keep pulling on my arm. Unfortunately, I was so weak and my body too numb I failed, and swayed a little as my knees threatened to give out.

"You'd go back to him... even after how much he's hurt you?"

"I don't _care_ if he hurt me; he's my friend! I-I lost him once," I choked, voice breaking as my vision blurred from black spots and tears. "I-I can't... I can't lose him again. I-I don't care what he did to me, if he was the one who caused my amnesia, o-or even when he had a-avoided me... I-I could care _less_ if he were inhuman o-or a total _jerk_ to everyone else. It doesn't matter to me _what_ he is; Ichijou-Kun is my _friend_ a-and I won't let you take him from me again! I... I want him back!" I already abandoned him once... I had forgotten him. That day when I woke up and saw him sitting there in a chair with his legs crossed, silently reading _Hellsing_ with such sad eyes, I... I should have spoken to him more. I should have said something-tried to get to know him.

That smile... that warm, bright smile... I want to see it again. The expressions he would make when happy, the ridiculously stupid expression he'd make when he didn't understand something or when I had spoken rapidly in English and he didn't know anything that I had said... and the absolutely _beautiful_ glow in his eyes when talking about something he was passionate about. I want to talk to Ichijou Takuma normally; without accident, without fear, without _ignorance._ I want to be beside him.

"...That's a rather selfish request, don't you think?"

My eyes widened at his words and I blinked roughly, trying to alleviate some of the stinging despite the pain growing more and more broad within my chest. I stared at Kaname for a moment, biting my trembling bottom lip, and bit out, "Well, n-naturally. I-I'm human; don't you know how greedy that makes me? I'm not... I'm not about to let go of someone I care about."

I feel so sick... My head won't stop pounding. My stomach keeps churning and the world around me keeps fading in-and-out of monochrome. So many images are flashing through my mind, but I can't even hold onto a single one. I was so out of it, so much so that my hearing started failing me, and I nearly missed the thoughtful hum and look Kaname gave me. "I see... And that's how you truly feel, is it?"

"H-How else am I supposed to feel?" I weakly retorted, trying my best to keep my eyes open and remain standing. I was shaking so bad-my feet didn't even have feeling anymore. "I-I'm picky about who I hang out with it. S-Skylar, Eliza, R-Rima-San and Shiki-San, a-and... and Yuuki-Chan... They're all good people. I'm not-I'm not going to hang out with someone who is threatening."

"...The Night Class does not scare you? Even though..."

His voice lowered, garnet eyes flashing dangerously, and he leaned down so I could get a clear view of his teeth as he spoke. _Fangs..._ Those sharp canines sticking out of his mouth-they were fangs, weren't they? Shiki, Rima, Ichijou, and... Eliza... they all had them. _How could I have not ever noticed?_ I've known Eliza since Middle School and yet I-I never thought about it.

Instinctively, very uncomfortable with the close proximity, I leaned my head back as he continued to say, "you are aware? Takuma acts like a gentleman, Terrier-San," He warned darkly, demeanor remaining calm and composed, and I tried not to freeze up when he brought his other hand up to press against the side of my neck. "But even _he_ has a side of him that's waiting to be unleashed. Do you really believe you will be able to handle it when that time comes?"

A side of him that's waiting to be unleashed... A memory from the restaurant came to me, and realizing what he was implying I just stared blankly at him. Was he trying to scare me or something? Ichijou doesn't frighten me. "What makes you think I won't be able to?"

I wasn't really being that confident, more as I was just stating that I think he didn't believe me capable of adapting to and/or handling whatever Ichijou threw at me, but I'm pretty sure that's what he was thinking when he gave a faint smirk. Amusement. Intrigue. "You misunderstand me, Terrier-San." He pulled his hand away, but still kept the other latched tightly around my wrist. I had a feeling he knew I would fall down if he let go. "I'm saying this out of your best interest."

...If that's the case, why don't I believe you?

"Somehow, I doubt that." I bluntly retorted. He didn't make much of an expression change, but I could tell he was amused. I don't think he got out very often; I can't see how this could possibly be amusing to him. I sniffled, bringing a hand up to my face, and I started to rub at my eyes as I mumbled, "Can I just go talk to Ichijou-Kun now?"

He closed his eyes, thinking about it, and opened his mouth to respond when a hauntingly familiar voice cried out loudly.

"Lord Kaname; please, forgive me! I failed!" My heart was pounding loudly in my ears, my brain no longer working as everything except _him_ became drowned out. I know that voice. Th-That... frightening voice. I swallowed thickly, fear racing through every vein in my body, and feeling me freeze up Kaname turned his head away from the newcomer looking over the railing to stare down at me. "I-Ichijou can't be held back much longer!"

A-A sneer... a cold, icy smile and dangerous blue eyes. Against my wishes the face began to form itself, and I was unable to breathe as I slowly turned my head to stare at the newcomer.

"T-Taylor-San? You're awake already?" The man stammered, standing stiff on the staircase, and he looked at me with big, alarmed eyes. Sirens rang in my ears, black coated my vision, and next thing I knew I was on the floor with my breathing labored. "Gah! Taylor-San!"

That person... I know that person. H-He had... He had... _Oh god._ I don't feel so good.

_"Well, look at who we have here~ Ichijou's new friend! Mind telling me what you're doing here so late at night?"_

No... No, go away! Leave me alone. D-Don't come near me! I-I'm so scared...

I still felt guilt for hitting, but I-I couldn't-he attacked _me_ first! I-I needed to... I needed to get away. H-He tried to-and I had just wanted to... I choked on my tears, hiccuping and digging my fingers into the carpet of the floor. I hated violence, but he wouldn't let me go back then. I had hoped he'd repent and choose to do good instead; that's why I didn't have Ichijou report him, but... what if he never did? What if that man, Aidou, still attacked innocent girls?

T-To know that... I...

My vision darkened and I fell over, sitting on my knees with my forehead pressed against the ground, body turned at a slightly awkward angle due to my arm still being held captive. _That's... where I first met Shiki-San, right?_ Ichijou had appeared, and I managed to convince him to let both Shiki and Aidou go.

Everything started to come back to me; every single detail from my first meeting with Ichijou, to the notebook swapping and the little oni mask doodle, to Aidou attacking me and Shiki lazily trying to stop him, to me being bullied by the Day Class girl Fujita Sakura for being on good terms with Ichijou, to goofing off with him and more. _All of it_ came back to me.

Oh god, and the pick-up line contest Skylar and I had... Ichijou had been so _dumbfounded_.

My choked-back sobs turned into laughter instead, and Aidou actually looked a bit frightened by that. Kaname just loosened his hold on me, raising an eyebrow ever-so-slightly, before returning his face back into its normal expression. "W-Why...?" I gasped, wheezing and coughing as I fell slightly onto my side. My shoulder was in intense pain from the angle it was turned at.

 _Why do I have to remember due to_ _him_ _?_

Ugh, that ticks me off a little. I buried my face into the carpet of the floor, squeezing my eyes so tightly shut it hurt. I didn't want to remember due to something traumatizing; I wanted to remember due to actually _speaking_ with Ichijou. But... we can't all have what we wish for, can we? At least I finally remember.

All the embarrassing moments, every awkward silence, and... even the happy times. All the times he had hugged me and I froze up... I regretted never initiating one. He was always the hugger, I never once let him be the hug-ee.

Sniffling heavily, I ground my teeth together and desperately tried to keep my lips from curling back so to not rip my stitches. I took a deep breath, started to push myself up, only to pause when I noticed something. My arm was free. Since... Since when was...?

"-said you would talk to her, not cause her harm!"

 _When did...?_ I stared up at the scene before me in shock, wondering just how the blond got there so quickly. Ichijou Takuma was staring sternly at Kaname, a hint of betrayal in his eyes. I looked on dumbly, pondering if I was dreaming and if it would be alright for me to go up and tackle the blond in the midst of such a serious moment.

"I've not harmed her." Kaname responded calmly, lips tilting into a thin frown. Hearing footsteps-dizzy, but my migraine overall gone now-I looked up to the railing and saw multiple Night Class students moving about. Wondering why they all looked so blurry, I squinted my eyes.

Rima, Shiki, Souen... that gigantic ginger whose name I don't know... Eliza? Even a couple other Night Class students I never even met before were gathering about on the staircase and peering over the balcony railing.

Wait, where was Aidou? Th-The man that tried...

A groan from the other side of the room caught my attention and, lowering my gaze to the bottom of the staircase, I saw Aidou nursing the back of his head. _D-Did he fall down or-? Oh jeez..._ Is he okay? No, wait, why should I be worried? He's mean! But, still... falling down stairs isn't exactly pleasant. I bit the inside of my cheek, looking down at the floor, and wondered what I should do.

Do I break up the fight taking place between Ichijou and Kaname, or do I go see how my nightmare-inducer is doing? I... I don't... I mean, I want to- Mixture of feelings, and really just wanting to hold my friend tight and never let go, I sighed. _I don't know what to do..._

What would Skylar do in this situation? ...Actually, she would probably start an argument with somebody and cause a fight. Eliza... she would probably attempt to mediate. She doesn't like people either, but she's normally the calmest in these types of situations.

"Kaname!" Ichijou growled, raising his voice. I jolted, freezing in the process of getting up, and looked up in alarm to see him actually _glaring_. "Don't you dare act like this to me! I've known you since we were both children; I _know_ when you're lying. Tell me what you said to her; why is she crying!?"

Kaname narrowed his eyes at him, a dangerous glare growing on his face. The room suddenly felt multiple degrees colder and Aidou, who was sitting innocently on the stairs and watching the scene take place, let out a shriek and jumped back, climbing up the staircase when the metal candleholders lining the walls suddenly snapped off, shattering and crumbling into multiple dented pieces. Ichijou looked slightly afraid, a bead of sweat trailing down the side of his face, but he held his ground.

"You are my friend, Kaname," Ichijou said steadily, calming himself. The scarlet in his eyes gradually faded, but specs remained. "I understand your concern and... I know you're doing this out of worry. But... I will not tolerate you causing her anymore harm. Seirin and now this... "

Kaname showed no reaction to Ichijou reaching forward and grasping his arms.

"This is too much. I am grateful for your worry, but _please..._ Irene-Chan is harmless!"

I decided not to focus on as to _how_ all the metal candleholders suddenly broke off the wall and shattered in pieces, and instead decided to sit up on my knees. I was still lightheaded, but not as bad as before, and after a few moments of silence, the males just staring at each other, they pulled away from each other.

Ichijou let out a breath, shoulders relaxing in relief, and though Kaname showed little emotion he and the blond seemed to have had some sort of silent conversation that only the two of them could understand. "Thank you... Please, forgive my outburst." Closing his eyes regretfully, he brought a hand up and ruffled his hair, and I blinked when he turned his head to look down at me. "Irene-Chan, how are are you feeling?" He offered a smile, but it was sad. Ichijou extended a hand out to me, expecting me to take it.

I stared at him blankly for a long moment and shifted my gaze towards his hand. The silence was so long the atmosphere became almost suffocating, a bead of sweat starting to trail down the side of his way, coming to a decision I pushed myself off the ground and lunged.

Unfortunately, I ended up tripping over my feet and fell halfway towards him, so I ended up yelping and face-planting into his stomach with my arms wrapped around his waist. Ichijou let out a small shout of surprise, having not expected such a movement, and just barely caught himself from toppling over onto the ground.

He wrapped his arms around me, a little stunned, and stared at me with wide eyes. "I-Irene-Chan?" Hands on my shoulders, he helped me stand up and regain my balance. I stood there in silence, wondering how to go about this, and waited for the world to stop spinning before moving to hug him again. Ichijou tensed when my arms wrapped around him, and I could hear his heart racing as I buried my face into his chest. "Y-You...?"

"...Why'd you lie?"

He blinked, startled. "E-Eh?" I wasn't hugging very tightly, but upon hearing him speak I found I couldn't resist. I went so long without his warmth, his friendship, his _presence_. I hated hugging people too tightly because I was scared I would hurt them, but I was just so _scared_ I... I didn't want to risk him slipping away from me again. I dug my fingers into his back, pulling at his sweater.

"Y-You're such a _jerk-face!_ I-I know I'm not the best of people to be around, but you could have at least _tried_ to talk to me! I... I... " I had believed us to be friends. We _were_ friends. And as my friend he should have helped me remember him!

"...What are you saying?" His voice wavered slightly.

I pulled my face away to "glare" up at him, having a hard time keeping the expression due to how relieved and happy I was at the moment. "I-I'm _saying_ I remember, you _nimrod!_ " The insults I spat were all in English, not knowing the Japanese translation for them, and I ended up choking on the last word and having my vision blurred by tears. "E-Everything... I-I remember... I remember everything!"

Did... Did he really not want me to remember? Is that why he was acting like this? But back at the restaurant it seemed like he _wanted_ me to. He wouldn't have been so careless otherwise... right? It took a minute before I got my answer, Ichijou staring at me with these big, disbelieving, watery green eyes, before they suddenly flashed red and I was pulled into a bone-crushing hug.

 _Ow, ow, ow!_ This was probably the most painful bear-hug of my life, but too relieved that he _did_ actually care I chose not to complain. I wanted to hug back, but all my limbs were numb and immobile. Ichijou was the only thing that was keeping me standing thanks to his arms being so tightly around me.

"I'm sorry," The blond croaked, face pressed into the curve of my neck. I stiffened, but tried to remain calm. I felt a bit tingly and warm, and could feel my heart racing, so I wondered if my face was red because I was flustered or if it was because it was from when I had been crying. Maybe both? "I-I'm so sorry... I never meant for it to turn out like this. I never meant for you to get hurt..."

"I-It's fine," I told him, struggling to get my arms to move. He held me tighter-so tight I thought my bones were actually going to break-before releasing me and letting out a startled cry when I completely collapsed onto the ground. Instead of whimpering or crying, I just choked on relieved laughter. "I-It's-It's okay; it's okay. I-It's not your fault."

"But it is!" He insisted as he knelt down. Ichijou helped me sit up, his gaze full of guilt and concern. "A... Are you sure you're alright, Irene-Chan? You... You're very... pale." His eyebrows knit together thoughtfully, the vermilion specs growing more visible and threatening to take over the emerald completely as alarm took over his features.

I didn't have the strength to protest as he cupped my face and lifted my head up, his eyes raking across the view of my neck on both sides, seeming to search for something. As he stared at my neck, I could feel his hands shake slightly, and my gaze-which I had been averting due to embarrassment-traveled back to his face.

_Blood red..._

The same shade as what I had seen as the restaurant. He looked like he was holding back from something, as though he was trying to repress his actions. Ichijou looked hungry. Hungry for what though? Piecing together all that I had learned, I came to a ridiculous decision. I didn't know _what_ he was, for my guesses could be completely wrong and far off, as all I knew was that he and the rest of the Night Class weren't exactly human.

So, until he offered me an explanation, even if he did something... odd, I wouldn't question it. I'd go along with it. There'd be no point in bringing attention to it-though, if you think about it... the Night Class being separated from the Day Class brings all the attention to it in and of itself. At least the separation makes sense now though...

Releasing my face quickly I blinked when he grabbed my hands, simply having to turn my wrists seeing as I wasn't wearing long sleeves, and was able to see the puncture marks on my right wrist. The... _anger_ he expressed... wasn't something I could even begin to describe. I wasn't even sure what he was more upset about-the puncture marks or the bruises.

"Who did this?" His voice was low, his lips threatening to curl back as his teeth ground together. His fangs peeked out just from beneath his lips... I watched curiously, though also rather worriedly, as he turned his gaze to all the Night Class students residing on the staircase and balcony. " _Which one of you did this!?_ "

Regaining enough feeling in my arms I reached up and forcefully pulled him down, wrapping my arms around his shoulders. I needed to distract him-to get rid of the anger. What was he so angry about, anyway? I get hurt all the time; what's the difference now? Ichijou was breathing heavily, completely unmoving as I held him. He hadn't pushed me away yet, so I don't think I was doing anything wrong...

Oh god, what do I do? I think he's a little stunned; he was always the one to hug me, never the other way around, so... what do I-Oh god. No. Nope. I'm not saying that. Ugh. But it's not like I can feel my legs... _Lame_. If my face wasn't red before, it definitely was now.

"C-Can you help me stand?" I pulled away slightly, the blond staring with big reddish green eyes. His face looked a bit pink. Looking at him, I gave him my best sheepish grin. "I-I can't... I can't feel my legs. Haha..." I laughed a little anxiously, terrified that I was doing this for naught and someone was going to get brutally maimed, and was about ready to pull away completely when arms wrapped around my waist and Ichijou stood, lifting me off the ground. "Wh-Whoa!"

I yelped loudly, having not actually believed he would have done that, and was more than just a little terrified of my feet being off the ground in such a fashion. It was only when he moved one of his arms down to slide underneath my knees and lift me higher up in a bridal-style fashion that I relaxed, fighting desperately to calm my frantic heart down. I knew for a fact that my face was red now, and I wished more than ever at that moment that I knew how to get rid of the blush.

I could feel my bottom lip trembling and I bit down on it, resisting the intense urge to lean back when I saw how close his face was to mine-the male looking down at me with amused, if not hungry eyes. Was it because of the blood? I'm assuming so; it made the most sense out of everything else here. He seemed to have a massive reaction to it before...

"H-Hey," I awkwardly greeted, not really knowing what else to say. He blinked-once, twice-then let out a small laugh and beamed, leaning down and nuzzling his face into my hair. I freezed up again, still struggling to calm down, and only become more flustered when he decided to cheerfully declare, "Hello" right next to my ear. Swallowing down the thick lump forming painfully in my throat, I nervously joked, "I-I guess that's _one_ way to-to sweep me off my feet."

His reddish-green eyes widened in surprise, when suddenly _that_ smile spread across his face. The same one that always caused me to falter in my Japanese.

"Y-You know," I started in English, even more nervous and embarrassed but _really_ wanting to see his reaction, and quickly continued in Japanese, "i-it always makes my day when a pretty boy smiles at me, s-so thanks."

"You're more than welcome," He beamed, seeming absolutely giddy about something. My eyes closed instinctively when I saw him move closer, and I could only blink in surprise when he pressed his forehead against mine. "As cheesy and horrible as they are, I missed those bad lines."

Staring straight into his gleaming red eyes and knowing I probably looked like a tomato, I couldn't help but stammer, "I-I missed... I missed using them on you..." Was that too much? I hope that wasn't too much. What if he takes it weirdly? _How would that be taken weirdly? Oh good god, how did I even speak this language before!?_ "A-And you! In general! A-As in... I... I definitely... m-missed you...A-As in, As in talking to you a-and... s-seeing you and stuff..."

My voice died down, becoming small and quiet as I became all too aware of the many eyes on us as we spoke. I was debating how strange it would be if I tried to hide my face in his shoulder despite how high up I was, when he suddenly pressed his lips to my left cheek and then nuzzled his face into the curve of my neck.

That was when he stiffened. Ichijou's hold on me tightened, the blond completely frozen, and I was only able to move my eyes to try and look at him due to the position we were in.

He was trembling, his breathing heavy. Just how strong was he, anyway? I weigh a decent one-forty (or _did_ , last time I checked, but who knows with how many meals I had skipped?) and despite his broad shoulders, Ichijou was still very slender and lean. He didn't look visibly muscular.

I felt hot breath ghost across the skin of my neck, his heartbeat completely erratic, and I temporarily held my breath. I squeezed my eyes shut, thinking back to the indents on my wrist, and awaited a sharp pain. Oddly enough, nothing came. Confused, I opened my eyes.

Ichijou Takuma was staring at the ground, a pained expression on his face, his eyes a deep crimson red. Abruptly raising his head up and staring at the staircase where people were parting to allow a certain man through, he called out to him.

"Kaname!" Ichijou's voice was hoarse, but warm. The brunette paused, turning his head just slightly to look at the blond. Ichijou, though seeming to be hurting, knitted his eyebrows together, a knowing and almost understanding look flashing through his eyes. Kaname said nothing, merely nodding, and Ichijou appeared to relax. "Thank you..."

Slightly relieved that nothing had happened, I was left trying to figure out why the heck Ichijou kissed my cheek. It would be a bit narcissistic to assume he had liked me like that, and I really didn't want Skylar to be right because that would mean I was wrong and I _hated_ being wrong. I decided to console myself with the idea that it was just because he was a very touchy-feely person.

Tugging on his shirt to get his attention, I tilted my head curiously when he gazed at me with conflicted scarlet eyes. "Y-Yes? Oh, right! Of course! Shiki!"

Wait, what? What about Shiki? _Hold on, Shiki!_ I needed to properly thank him later. I looked up at the balcony where the redhead was standing, the male model leaning lazily against the railing with Rima and Eliza beside him. Eyes brightening at the sight of them I shifted, raising a hand up and waving excitedly at them. "Shiki-San, Rima-San, Darling~!"

Eliza was the only one who waved back, grinning, and a couple of random Night Class students started muttering to each other and glancing at the three people I called out to and then back at me and Ichijou. I quickly became dizzy and had to stop, not even having the strength to jolt when Ichijou suddenly started walking, heading up the stairs. I watched with knitted eyebrows as everyone started to part for him just as they did for Kaname-respectfully and silently, and as if he were someone of massive importance.

I looked at the blond inquiringly, wondering why everyone seemed to view him so... oh, what's the word? _Ruka called him "Lord Takuma", so..._ Is it possible that he really _was_ from such a powerful and influential family?

Keeping my arms wrapped around his shoulders to prevent myself from falling, I refused to let go until we were on the balcony and even then I was still keeping my hands on his shoulders. _Just calm down already... it's only Ichijou._ My heart was still racing. _Skylar isn't right; she_ _can't_ _be right._

Blaming it on the fact that I was just excited seeing as I had just gotten him truly back into my life, I gaped at him in astonishment when he asked Shiki to-and I'm not exaggerating-find a _maid_ to bring food their dormroom.

Why the heck does the Night Class' Moon Dorm have _maids!?_ If the Day Class wanted food they would have to march down to the kitchen before night hours and make their own! So unfair. I tried to argue, just like when I first encountered Shiki and Ichijou in the town during mine and Skylar's first Saturday, ready to protest about how I didn't need food, but just like always Ichijou refused to listen.

"You need to eat," He told me, scolding me in a light-hearted tone. "You didn't even eat yesterday at the restaurant, and I doubt you ate anything since you've been up either. Why do you think you're so ill right now? You need food!"

I looked at him with such a blank, dull expression that it almost rivaled Shiki's apathetic gaze. I thought about giving a retort, but I decided it wouldn't be worth it. Besides, what would I even say? _I'm not sick because of not eating; I'm sick because I don't have most of my blood!_ At least I'm pretty sure I was drained... Odd. One would think that I'd be more bothered by this.

I mean, it's kind of bothersome, especially since I don't remember it happening, but there isn't much I can do about it. At least Ichijou seemed distracted from going on a manhunt. I pretended not to notice the curious stares I was receiving and the couple of glares, and watched as Shiki sighed and lazily wandered off to do as Ichijou had asked.


	22. A Brighter Knight P.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ichijou goes on a rampage, Irene wakes up in the moon dorm, and Shiki takes a nap. XD

After Shiki left to go fetch the maid-something I  _still_ had trouble wrapping my head around-silence engulfed us. Rima, who had been standing there silently watching the scene take place, quietly crossed her arms. Her electric blue eyes raised and stared at me. I met her gaze, fear encasing my heart, and Ichijou turned his head to look at me curiously when he felt my hands grip his shirt tightly.

Rima and Shiki had only put up with me so I could regain my memories; they went out of their way to help for Ichijou. I liked them, I considered them good people and even friends, but I doubted they felt the same. The care, the help, the hands they had lended in my time of need… it was all for Ichijou. There was no telling what would happen to our relationship now.

“So... “ She began, narrowing her eyes at me. “You really do remember now?”

Not knowing what else to do, I gave an awkward and hesitant nod. “Y-Yeah… B-But only because you and Shiki-San helped me.” Rima blinked, staring. Ichijou’s grin seemed to broadened as I stammered, face turning a bit pink. “S-So, th-thank you… for that…” Memories of what I had been like after I woke up for the first time ran through my head. So lifeless and empty inside… “I-I don’t know what I would have done if you guys hadn’t shown up.” I gave a nervous laugh, becoming only more aware of the person I was clinging onto.

To think I had gotten  _that_ depressed without him in my life-I really was just a sad existence, wasn’t I? Even when I’m not aware of it, the loss of him had still nearly managed to destroy me. Well, then again, I  _did_ nearly start having a break down when Skylar and Eliza first mentioned being accepted to Cross Academy and were going to move across countries. In the end, no matter how you looked at it, I was just a very emotional person.

“Thank you, Rima-San.” My nervous grin became a grateful smile as I looked down at her, exhaustion and relief washing over and calming my anxiousness. I felt so tired-something probably having to due with not only finally regaining my memories, but the reason why I had two indents in my wrist. “For… For everything.”

She stared at me for a long moment, eyes unblinking, before she closed her eyes and nodded in acknowledgement. Her eyes opened again, but they were distant-as if she were thinking about something. “...You can thank me later,” She finally spoke, quiet. Rima raised her head up, her eyes briefly flickering to Ichijou. “But  _after_ you go shopping with me. Ruka and I need dresses for the dance.”

“I do, too, actually,” Eliza suddenly piped up, wiggling her way into the conversation and stepping forward with a smile. “I have my eye on a really pretty one- but I’ve not had time to go get it. Will it be alright if I go with you guys?” Rima looked at her, debating, and not seeing any harm or trouble in her coming shrugged. It wasn’t like Rima disliked Eliza-the brunette was actually one of the few other students here at Cross Academy that didn’t get on her nerves. Rima just wanted to try and keep her promise to Ichijou.

I tilted my head at them, wondering why they wanted me to go with after I explicitly told them I wasn’t going, when I suddenly got dizzy again. My head started to pound furiously, black spots dancing in my vision, and my hold on Ichijou temporarily loosened as I swayed. His hold on me was firm though, so he kept me from falling.

“O… Okay…” I breathed, wincing at the throbbing pain inside of my skull. Green eyes gazed at me in concern, more whispers breaking out throughout the room. “If… If you want… t-to…” I don’t feel so good. Everything is so… so…

_Dark._

_…_

“Yuuki,” Yori murmured softly as she sat up. She looked at her friend, who was curled up into a ball on her bed thinking deeply. “What’s wrong…? Can’t sleep again?”

“...Huh? O-Oh, uh… yeah. Sorry, Yori-Chan. You can… You can go back to sleep.” The girl forced a smile, trying to be convincing. The Headmaster had sent Yuuki back to her Dorm after the events, but when she protested and tried to go after them Kaname had used one of his many abilities and knocked her into a deep sleep. “I was just… thinking.”

Yori frowned and turned, her legs dangling off of the edge of her bed. “Yuuki… it’s okay. You can tell me anything; you know that, don’t you?” Yuuki looked startled at the ginger’s words, her wine red eyes growing wide, before her smile became more genuine.

“Yeah… thank you, Yori-Chan.”

“Of course.”

Yuuki didn’t say anything else to her after that, simply going back into thought. About Zero, about Skylar, and about… everything.

...

Ichijou set her down on the bed carefully, sitting on the edge and leaning over to gingerly brush her hair out of her face. The blond still had trouble believing this; he couldn’t understand  _why_ she had struggled to remember him so much. Rima and Shiki went so far out of their way to help her, and now…

The blond leaned down, smiling to himself with closed eyes as he rested his forehead against hers. It feels like it had been so long since they last spoke, both knowing who the other was. He hadn’t dared to hope, but Eliza was right. Irene  _did_ remember. She  _fought_  to remember him.

Irene was the closest he ever let himself get to a human, to let himself  _feel_ towards a human, and he had been utterly crushed. He felt broken after he had to finish wiping what was left of her memories here when Seirin had failed. He struggled, breaking apart piece by piece, and it took all his self control to try not to bite her, to not drain her of everything she had to offer, but then… 

His fingers trailed down her arm, landing on her hand. He amused himself for a moment, taking note of how much smaller her hands were compared to his and how fitting it was for someone like her, before turning her wrist over so he could get a decent look at the teeth marks. The wound had finally stopped bleeding, thankfully, though it still angered him greatly that someone dared to let their fangs pierce her flesh. She was  _not_ someone’s breakfast! She was… Irene was…

He paused, staring down at her sleeping face and pondering; what  _was_ Irene to him? They were friends, that was for certain, and maybe something even more than that. Or perhaps he was reading too much into the situation? Surely if she fought so hard to remember him that meant she felt  _something_ for him? He can’t be the only one hurting in this situation.

Having seen her cry like that… Irene having  _confronted_ Kaname because of all of this…

Ichijou really did make a mess of things, didn’t he? He really is incompetent. What does Kaname put up with him for? If it wasn’t for Shiki and Rima approaching Irene and helping speed things along, what would be happening now? Would she remember him at all? Or… would she still be walking straight to the dorms during the switch, her head held down low with her books close to her chest?

He understood well as to why Kiryuu Zero had kept him from approaching her. It would just cause her more pain; he, too, felt she would have been better off without him. Humans weren’t supposed to know about their existence, after all. Still…

Standing, Ichijou looked over his shoulder at his faithful companions. “Shiki, Rima… look after her. I have some business to take care of.” Shiki didn’t say anything, merely staring at him for a moment before sighing and shoving his hands into his pants pockets. Dark circles danced under his eyes, repercussions from staying up during the day for most of the week. Rima was in a similar state, but not quite so bad. Ichijou ran his thumbs across the bite marks, irritation and anger welling inside of his chest.

“Fine…”

Rima’s eyes narrowed at the blond, wondering what exactly he was planning to do to the poor idiotic vampire that decided to attack the one person he had decided to get close to. “...Don’t do anything stupid.”

Ichijou smiled at that, his eyes glimmering darkly as he chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it, Rima.” Without another word, the blond made his way out of the room, walking out and entering the hallway.

To his surprise the majority of the Night Class was waiting for him, questionable looks being sent his way. Many were for peace with the humans, for creating friendships, while others were… less accepting, forced to be here at Cross Academy due to their parents wishes. The blond’s smile refused to drop, though despite the feigned cheeriness Ichijou greatly wanted them all to leave. “What is it?”

One of the many Vampires stepped forward, quickly getting down to a knee with a hand over their chest. He faltered, wondering how exactly he should word his question, before speaking. “Lord Takuma, I… I have to admit, a few others along with myself… we  _are_ curious. We have nothing against the human girl, nor other humans in general aside from the hunters, but… is it really wise? What if she finds out?”

Again. So many times Ichijou had heard the question and, honestly, he was starting to get a bit sick of it. Giving a sigh, Ichijou brought a hand up and ruffled his hair. He was this close to exploding, but as Kaname’s best friend… he had to keep his composure. “If she finds out, we’ll determine our actions then. I doubt she’ll react negatively in any shape or form, but if she does then…”

He faltered. Ichijou had thought about it before, but after having finally lost and regained her… he couldn’t bear even the idea of it. He crossed his arms, lost in his dark thoughts, before he focused on the lower class Vampire before him. They wanted an answer, and as Vice-Dorm president he had no choice but to give one.

_“I… Ichij… j…”_

He tried not to wince at the memory, but it was a painful one that he would never forget. It was still so vivid in his mind, as if it were merely hours ago that it had happened. If she hadn’t fought back against Seiren when she was trying to erase her memory, then Irene wouldn’t have been in so much pain trying to remember. It would destroy him if he saw her in such a state again. Taking a deep breath, Ichijou told the man,

“If she does react negatively, then  _I’ll_ erase her memories.” To himself, he added silently,  _“again”._

“But, Upperclassman Ichijou-” Another started to say, but quickly silenced herself when the blond raised a hand, giving her a stern stare. He shook his head.

“I appreciate your concern, but what happens to her is my responsibility. I’m sure if you asked him, Kaname would agree with me. Now, can any of you tell me  _who_ it was that attacked her while I was away? I  _do_ wish to give them a proper scolding…” Ichijou flashed a small smile, bringing a hand up to his chin while his other arm crossed over his chest, propping up his elbow. “Please. I’ll only ask once.”

He let the undertone of a threat linger, for while he said it in a gentler voice his smile was anything but friendly. Ichijou waited, watching and observing as a few level-C’s looked at each other, while others muttered to themselves about what would happen if somebody  _didn’t_ tell him. After a long moment of silence, another student stepped up to say,

“H… Hirogashi-San. He… He left a few minutes before the bell while some of the Aristocrats were arguing. Ferret-San and Aidou-San had gotten into another argument, one that Souen-San had actually started, a-and… when we all left class, we found Aidou-San and Ferret-San fighting with Hirogashi-San. The… The human girl was already unconscious.”

“Ruka started the argument?” She had been getting a little more vocal in her opinions about his friendship with Irene, though she often kept them to herself. What did she say to set Aidou off this time? Ichijou was actually a little disappointed he didn’t get to see the fight, for he always found a riled up Aidou a hilarious one. “No, before that… Hirogashi? As in Hirogashi Arata-San?  _He_ attacked her?”

Hirogashi Arata always seemed like such a kind, polite fellow… always hiding in the shadows. Ichijou tended to keep a closer eye on those who seemed less likely to make trouble, even if it did occasionally cut into his manga-reading time. To think he had been right… it just infuriated him further.  _His parents were such likeable people, too…_ Ichijou was quite disappointed. Still, he had his target and that was all that mattered.

Now, to make sure he learned his lesson…

…

When I awoke, I wasn’t entirely sure what I expecting. My head was hurting like crazy, but the familiar scent of vanilla and cologne helped calm me down, the panic fading away and easing me into a sense of security. I shifted, wincing a little, before relaxing into the soft mattress. So warm…

I found myself dozing off, more relaxed and content than I had been in what felt like forever. I was always so paranoid, so scared, so  _worried_ … I could never sleep right. Constantly plagued by nightmares and horrors… I haven’t felt so safe in ages. I ended up dreaming of happier times, peaceful and nice, and when I started to drift into consciousness again I felt something akin to fingers running through my hair.

“It’s time to wake up, Irene-Chan~.” A voice sang softly. It was familiar and wonderful and bright, and I snuggled contentedly into the pillow I was using. I liked the feeling of him playing with my hair. It was comforting. “The food’s going to get cold. You haven’t eaten in a few days, right? Rima told me all about it… I’m sorry. You went through so much because of my stupid decision…”

Finally deciding to open my eyes, I gazed up at the blond beauty before me, my vision slowly clearing. For a moment I thought I was back in the Headmaster’s guest room, Ichijou coming in to wake me up once more. “I… Ichijou?”

He smiled warmly down at me, cupping my face with his hand. He was sitting on the edge of the bed, leaning over so he could look at me. I blinked, knitting my eyebrows in confusion. “Good morning, sleepy head,” He greeted, look happier than I’ve seen him these past few days. “How are you feeling?” He asked, “are you dizzy at all?”

I laid there, not really  _sure_ are to what it was I was feeling. So much hurt, yet at the same time I felt more relaxed than I had been in what felt like years. An exaggeration, definitely, but it didn't change the way I felt. As for dizziness… only a little bit. Not trusting my body to move, most of my limbs feeling quite numb, I gazed up at Ichijou with knitted eyebrows. “I… Am I dead?” Confusion flickered across his face, not understanding why I asked such a thing.

“N-No, of course not, Irene-Chan! Why would you ever-”

“‘Cause I think I see an angel.” Surprise lit up his face, understanding quickly taking over as his warm smile grew into a bright and beautiful grin. Something tightened around my right hand, and with a slight tilt of my head I saw he was holding onto it with his left. I opened my mouth to speak, but no words would come out. I closed it, biting my bottom lip when I felt the familiar tremble, and tried to ignore the flustered racing of my heart. “Y… You’re real, right? I… I’m not actually dreaming?”

“I’m real,” He murmured, leaning down. My breath hitched when he rested his forehead against mine, his eyes closed. “I missed you so much… I know I already said it, but… pretending the first few days as if I didn’t know who you were was so painful. I… I’m so sorry.”

“Why… Why did you lie?” I choked, thinking of the time when I first saw him sitting in that chair beside the guestroom bed. His eyes opened, emerald flickering with a reddish hue. My voice cracked as I continued to speak, my head throbbing painfully as a sob started to form in the back of my throat. “Wh-Why did you a-act…” I couldn’t finish.

I was tolerant of many things, but betrayal was not one of them. I worked so hard to remember, went through so much pain to get here, and yet… I could only think of that one memory. The one from after I woke up from being attacked in my dorm room, and how he… how he just told me to stop. To stop struggling, to stop trying to recall his name.

How he said that even though I would no longer remember, that he hoped I could forgive him. The flowers… The flowers that he gave me. The hyacinths… our conversation… in that time, was the girl he said he was trying to help, even though it hurt, actually me? He claimed that the horrible thing he did really made him wonder if he deserved to be called a “monster”.

 _Ichijou_ was the one who took my memories. I wasn’t exactly sure how or why, but… he did. It must have something to do with the odd traits he and the rest of the Night Class had, along with the strange attraction to blood. He seemed genuinely upset, so why…? I don’t understand. I want to be mad at him, in fact I should probably hate him, but I… I can’t. Looking at him now, seeing the pain in his eyes, I… I can’t.

“I… I was so scared…” Not knowing anything, not certain if he would want me to remember him or not. “I-I wanted to-to talk to you s-so many times, b-but I-I wasn’t… I wasn’t sure if…”

“...If I wanted to talk to you?” He finished, his smile dropping as guilt formed on his face. “Irene-Chan, I… I never wanted to hurt you. I-I thought that you might be better off without me in your life. Th-That… That since you didn’t remember, if I just kept myself out of your life you wouldn’t get hurt anymore. That was… rather silly of me though, wasn’t it?”

“More than silly,” I rasped, just barely managing to hold the tears back. My head hurt so much-it felt like my skull was going to implode. “Wh-Who said you were allowed to ignore me? I-I’m not-I’m not done annoying you yet.”

“A-Annoying?” He repeated, pulling away and looking down at me in surprise, his hands on either side of me as he remained seated at the edge of the bed. His lips curled up into a smile, a small laugh escaping, before it escalated into full blown laughter. He wrapped an arm around his stomach, sitting up completely as he tried to muffle his giggles with his other hand. “Y-You were never-! Irene-Chan, why would y-you assume such a thing!?” He fought to calm himself, looking at me with truly joyous eyes. “I  _enjoy_ talking with you… I-I have so much to say and… the idea of not being able to tell you… Irene-Chan, you are the  _farthest_ thing from annoying.”

Not having a better response, I stuck my tongue out at him. “Rawr. Bite me, Ichijou.” I made sure to say that in Japanese, so not to have it confused in English with “fight” seeing as it usually happened regardless of how it was the other way around before.

He paused, looking down at me, a bit more red leaked into his eyes as his expression became a bit more serious, his smile just a little more grim. “Believe me, Irene-Chan… I’m tempted to.”

“O-Oh…” I mean, I was looking for a reaction that would clarify things, but not… not so… god, what’s that word? I’m not going to lie, Ichijou was really freaking attractive when he was serious, but that was… um. Different.  _Okay then, I’m just going to hope my face isn’t red._ “W-Well, just so you know, if you bite me I’ll bite back.”

He chuckled in response, seeming to find something about my comment amusing. “For some reason I doubt that.” I made a face at him, disliking that response, and hesitated before attempting to push myself up. I winced at how noodle-like my arms felt, my throbbing head getting worse as black spots started to dance in my vision. I ended up falling back down, groaning as the world spun and blurred before me. “Oh dear! Here.”

Ichijou stood up and moved, helping me sit up and propping me up against the headboard. I grimaced, pressing a hand against my head and closing my eyes as I waited for everything to revert to normal. He said something about Rima, but I wasn’t really paying that much attention even as he left the room.

 _I’m missing something… what is it?_ I no longer have amnesia, but I still feel as though I’m forgetting something. What is it? What am I missing…? I was looking for Skylar when I passed out, and then… Oh! That’s right; I woke up on a couch in the lounge. There was Souen Ruka, and… a man named Kaname. Ichijou and he got into an argument and then… everything after that is sort of hazy.

 _“Takuma acts like a gentlemen, Terrier-San, but even_ _he_ _has a side of him that’s waiting to be unleashed…”_

It would be ridiculous to assume he was straight-up telling me there was something more to the Night Class, right? I wasn’t able to think much more about it, for when I started to go over the conversation in my head the door to the bedroom opened once more, Ichijou walking in with a tray in his hands. “Breakfast time~! Rima told me about how you’ve been neglecting yourself when it comes to eating, so therefore I’m going to feed you! It’ll be just like that time in the Headmaster’s house!”

“Wh-What?” I was not prepared for this. I watched wide eyes as Ichijou sat back down on the edge of the bed, tray on my lap, and scooped up some of what looked to be a fried egg on rice. “I-I can feed myself…”

“Mmm. Perhaps, but after what Rima said I’m not sure if I want to trust you to do so.” He smiled, seeming completely unbothered by how rude that comment was. I gaped at him, completely baffled by his words. H-How-!? That cheeky little… okay, fine, that cheeky tall jerk-face! He held the spoon up, another hand underneath to catch anything that might fall, and he sang. “Go “ahhhh”.”

“B-B-But I… I-I can... “ His smile broadened and I deflated, knowing then and there that no matter what I said I wouldn’t be able to change his mind. I pouted, staring up at him in defeat before reluctantly opening my mouth and allowing him to feed me. Ichijou chuckled.

“If you’re arguing, that must mean you’re feeling better,” He mused, watching as I bit off the food, and went to get another scoop. “Ah~ I can’t wait. Are you sure you won’t go to the dance, Irene-Chan? It really will be fun; I promise!”

Taking another bite, I gave at him questionably as I chewed the rice and egg. He really isn’t going to stop pestering me about this, is he? I don’t see the big deal; it’s just a dance. I swallowed, clearing my throat, and asked, “Why do you want me to go so bad? It’s just a dance. The halloween event is still going to happen, right? I’ll be going to that one.”

I yelped when arms suddenly wrapped themselves around me, my face getting buried into his chest as he wailed, “But I wanna dance with you, Irene-Chan! It’s the first ball since you’ve been here; you have to go!  _Please~?_ ”

“But I don’t…” I faltered, the blond pulling away, and my voice left when I saw the look on his face. Ichijou looked similar to kicked puppy, his green eyes wide and sad.

“Please?” He pleaded, clapping his hands together in front of his chest. “Just one dance, Irene-Chan. That’s all I’m asking.”

“...Fine. But expect to have broken toes! I don’t know how to dance. And- _whoa!_ ” His arms were around me again, hugging me close as he buried his face into my hair. “I-Ichijou-Kun!?” His hold tightened and I struggled to calm my frantic heart, awkwardly reciprocating the embrace as I had no idea what it was I was supposed to do. “A-Are you okay?”

“I’m wonderful,” He murmured. I blinked at that answer, utterly confused as to why he was acting this way. Maybe I’m just imagining things; it’s been awhile since we were able to talk properly, so maybe I just think he’s being more touchy feely than usual. I felt something soft press against the top of my head, but by the time I registered what it was he had already pulled away again and was getting another spoonful of food ready. “Say “ahh”.”

At a loss for words, I just did as told. My stomach twisted and churned painfully, demanding more sustenance, but I ignored it. Still, it just proceeded to remind me of how hungry I actually was. After finishing the bowl, we moved on to toast. I tried to convince him to at least let me eat that by myself, but the blond was irritatingly stubborn and refused. I had maybe two bites left of that when the door to the bedroom suddenly opened, a familiar red-haired model walking in.

Shiki yawned loudly, bearing his fangs to the world as he stretched. “Ichijou-San… is the girl awake yet? It’s been four hours… you need to-” He stopped, staring at the scene with the barest hints of surprise forming on his normally apathetic face. Ichijou was holding the toast out to me, and I was in the process of taking a bit of it, so my teeth were still imbedded as I had yet to pull away. Feeling my face heat up, I pulled away and quickly finished chewing.

What is it with people walking in during these kinds of situations?

“Lovey-dovey…”  _Hah?_  Shiki stared at us blankly, gaze almost accusatory as he looked at Ichijou. “She just regained her memories, and you’re already making the moves on her, Ichijou-San… You really are shameless.”

W-Wait, hold on! What on earth does this look like to him? Yuuki reacted very similarly, but it’s still so far off! I know shows of affection are much rarer here, seeing how reserved people are here in Japan, but that doesn’t mean this situation is anything  _too_ odd. Granted, it’s never happened to me back home, but Ichijou is a rare case of touchy-feely! Shiki knows that, so why is he…

No.  _No._ Ichijou doesn’t… view me in that way. My face red, I turned and looked at Ichijou with knitted eyebrows, thoughts running through my mind like lightning. Why would he view me in that way? I was irritating. It wouldn’t be the first time I was wrong, and I often missed it when people hit on me, but Ichijou was… different.

Why would he settle for me when there were so many people better than me? No. Shiki has to be wrong. He and Skylar have to be. I-I can’t…. I don’t want to deal with that heartbreak.  _Please tell me I didn’t just think that._ I can’t have just thought that.

“Am I really?” Ichijou asked, tilting his head at Shiki as he gave a small sheepish laugh. I snapped out of my thoughts, looking up at the blond with wide eyes. There’s no way… Do I actually view Ichijou in such a way? Since when!?

My fingers gripped the blanket covering my legs tightly, pulling at the fabric as I tried to come to terms with my newfound realization. I… Is that why I wanted to remember him so bad? I thought I had felt so empty because I had lost a dear friend, but was it actually because I… I actually had  _feelings_ for him?

Feeling the familiar, painful sting I brought a hand up to my eyes, rubbing at them with the palm of my hand as I choked on the sob trying to build up in the back of my throat. Was I seriously doing this? Was this really a thing that was happening? Why?

B-But… But even if I  _do_ have a crush on him, there’s no guarantee that he’ll like me back. Besides, even if it did I’ll end up going back to America in two years. Long-distance relationships rarely work; I wouldn’t want to put either of us through such a thing.  _Okay, brain, stop thinking. You don’t like Ichijou in that way. The conversation with Skylar is just messing with your head._

I am still an emotional wreck, so therefore anything I think or feel now is completely invalid. Taking a deep breath, I gave a heavy sigh and nodded my head. I just need to calm down and relax. Fussing over something like this wasn’t good for my health; I wasn’t even looking for a relationship anyway, so thinking about it was a ridiculous action on my part.

“-something the matter?”

Hearing a voice right next to me caused me to jump, my head throbbing just a little from the abrupt movement. My eyes darted over to look at Ichijou, my right hand jolting and slamming against my chest as my heart nearly stopped beating. “Wh-What?”

Holding an index finger up, the blond smiled in amusement as he brought it up to his lips. “You were sighing. Ah… is it because you have a fever? Are you not feeling well?” I blinked when he reached forward, brushing my bangs out of my face as he leaned down and rested the back of his hand against my forehead. My breath hitched in my throat, my body going completely still as hummed thoughtfully to himself in worry. “Mmm… you  _are_ warm. Wait right here, okay? Ah, wait, I forgot to ask! Shiki, was there something you needed?”

The blond stood,setting the tray down on top of the shelf on the left of the bed, but paused and turned to look at the redhead curiously. Shiki gave a lazy shrug in response, looking at Ichijou before trailing his stone blue orbs to gaze at me. Ichijou’s smile faltered, his emerald eyes hardening just slightly before he himself sighed.

“I’m fine, Shiki… you can thank the Dorm Head for that. I… I also need to thank you, though I doubt you’d be accepting of it.”

“...” No spoken reply, yet the male model still looked at him and nodded. Ichijou relaxed, giving him a bright smile, before vanishing out of sight as he walked to the right, passing what appeared to be small piles of figurines stacked like that of card towers, and really big piles of books.

Now that I was paying attention, I took notice of the shelves on either side of the bed I was on, a closet next to the right bookshelf and a dresser. On the other side of the room, on the left, was a big desk with a smaller one positioned crookedly next to it, surrounded by two more bookshelves. The room was rather neat, clearly organized by someone’s own design, and was pretty clean aside from the small pile of clothes built up in a corner near the smaller desk.

I wasn’t sure why, but something about the room reminded me of Ichijou.  _He does love to read… I remember him saying something about planning to fill the Moon Dorm library with over, what was it, five thousand manga books? Ten thousand? Something like that._ He had a lot of dreams like that. It was kind of cute, really.

I was forced out of my thoughts once more when Shiki lazily dragged himself over, movements sluggish, and he stopped at the end of the bed. He stared at it for a moment before he suddenly fell forward, face-planting directly into the mattress. I gave a small shout of surprise at the random shift of the bed and quickly clamped a hand over my mouth, silencing myself, and tried not to burst out into laughter when Shiki made to pull himself onto the bed the rest of the way.

His long legs curled up against his chest as he pressed his back against the wall, the model snuggling into the blanket. Though not entirely sure what was happening anymore, I fought against the laughter and offered Shiki one of the many pillows I was leaning against. “W-Want one?” The model’s eyes opened, stone blue boring into green-stained brown, and grabbed the pillow. Without a word he then shifted, scooting forward until he was next to me and cuddling with the pillow I gave him.

Ichijou walked in then, a wet rag in his hands, and stared in surprise at the sight before him. Ichijou looked at Shiki with an affection smile, chuckling at his friend’s actions, and beamed. “Looks like you got a new friend, Irene-Chan! Shiki’s very peculiar about who he cuddles with; so far it’s only Rima and I he likes.”

Shiki ignored him, already dozing off with his face buried into the soft fabric. I snorted at Ichijou’s words, looking at the redhead and debating whether or not if it would be okay to pet him on the head. His hair looked really fluffy. “I’m pretty sure he’s cuddling with the pillow, Ichijou.”

“That’s true, but even so he’s remaining close to you.” He replied as he made his way over, sitting down on the other side and bringing a hand up to check my fever again. I tensed, but my reaction wasn’t as severe as last time. “Still warm, but it seemed to have gone down… I’d rather not have you get sick. I don’t want to risk-” He cut himself off, barely stopping himself from continuing. “A-Ah, that is, I don’t want you to get any more ill than you already are! B-But as I was saying; it’s a sign Shiki thinks of you as a friend. He trusts you, Irene-Chan.”

Shiki thinks of me as a friend? I was a bit dumbfounded at first, but eventually a happy warmth spread throughout my chest at the thought Shiki and Rima won’t be abandoning me like I had originally thought. I had believed they were only dealing with me because of Ichijou, but they… they were my friends. “I-I trust Shiki-San, too,” I stammered, fighting against the joyful smile trying to make its way up onto my face.

I had friends. I mean, I already  _had_ friends but it still baffles sometimes that I do actually in fact have friends. I kinda wanted to jump up-and-down and spin a few times, squealing about how I have friends. Is that normal? I don’t know how normal that is, but it’s what I honestly felt. A sudden shift on the bed snapped me out of my thought, my eyes locking onto emerald green.

“I-Ichijou?” He had sat back down on the bed, an oddly intense expression on his face as he stared at me. Dark swirls of scarlet mixed with the green of his eyes, mesmerizing and paralyzing all at the time. Eyes like that of a predator, a siren, who was craving for food lest they fall to the brink of madness.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” He asked, voice lowering as he spoke just above a murmur. My eyebrows furrowed, and not trusting myself to speak I merely shrugged. “You aren’t dizzy? No light-headedness or nausea?”

“Only when I move too fast,” I informed. Didn’t he already ask this question? Ichijou lowered his head, exhaling deeply, before giving me a small smile.

“Can you lie down for me? I want to put this rag on your forehead to help with your fever.”

I obliged with his request, doing my best to not disturb the sleeping Shiki, and laid down. Ichijou brushed my bangs out of my face with his fingers, gingerly setting the cool rag on my forehead. I felt a bit intimidated, laying down making me feel so much smaller than I normally was, and I looked up at the tall blond who was still sitting. “A-Are  _you_ okay?”

“Eh? O-Oh, yes, I’m fine… just worried, is all.” Ichijou gave a warm smile, though his reddening eyes betrayed his words. “Why?”

“Uh, n-no reason…” He just looked rather uncomfortable sitting there. Does it have something to do with the reason as to why his eyes are turning red? It’s bothering me; I want to talk to him about it, I want to  _help_ him, but I don’t know how… I was fully aware of the fact that the Night Class wasn’t human, and that included the bubbly blond, so how am I supposed to comfort him without knowing exactly what was going on? “H-Hey, uh… I-Ichijou?”   
  


“Yes?”

My heart twisted, a multitude of thoughts and emotions going through me, scenarios racing about in my mind as I tried to figure out the best one. Digging my fingers into the bed sheets, I looked up at him nervously. I don’t know why I suddenly feeling so awkward; my bottom lip and my hands were both starting to tremble.

Fingers pulling against the sheets as I remained under blankets, I try to figure out why I was reacting like this.  _Why am I so scared?_  It’s just one simple question. Heck, I doubt he’d even be against it, but still… it was hard to get out. “I…”

Leaning down, a hand on the left side of my head, he smiled encouragingly as he waited patiently for me to finish. “It’s alright, Irene-Chan; you can tell me… what is it?”

Swallowing the lump in my throat, I forced out, “C… Can I…  _May_ I… h-hug you?” Surprise lit up his face and I flinched, instantly regretting my decision of ever letting myself speak those words. I quickly came up with an excuse, already opening my mouth to say it and hopefully escape this horrible situation, when arms abruptly wrapped themselves around me. I stiffened, my voice leaving me completely as I became all too aware of the person leaning down completely and embracing me.

“You don’t have to  _ask_ ,” Ichijou chuckled, his voice low and next to my ear. My breath hitched in my throat and my mouth went dry, a jolt of what felt like electricity going through my body. He was so close I was certain he could feel the heart trying to jump out of my chest. I was seriously starting to wonder if being around him was going to cause me heart failure one of these days. “I’d actually prefer it if you were more open with me…”

I’ll… keep that in mind. God, he’s so warm; I’m freezing. Awkwardly worming my arms out from the sheets I reciprocated the embrace, his beautiful blond locks tickling my face and the scent of his shampoo filling my senses. “...You smell good.” There was a pause, before I actually  _felt_ the blood rush to my face from embarrassment as he started to chuckle. I could feel the reverberations through his chest, his hold on me tightening just slightly. “Wh-What? Y-You said-You said be more “open”. Th-That-You meant that as in “honest”, right? I-I mean, I-I’m already a pretty honest person; I’m usually pretty vocal about my emotions, but I-”

“I  _really_ missed you,” He breathed, pulling away just enough to look at me, a grin of pure relief and joy forming upon his lips. “But that’s not what I meant.”

“Oh… O-Okay. Uh, wh-what _did_ you mean?” So close… It feels like it’s been forever, but at the same time it feels like just yesterday Ichijou had been invading my personal space. It was… nerve-wracking, for lack of a better term, but I didn’t completely hate it. It was just sort of awkward for me.

I blinked instinctively, almost wincing at the warmth that suddenly graced my cheek as his fingers brushed against my face. “...I call you by your given name, don’t I? So why don’t you do the same for me?”

Wh-What? Wait, okay, hold on, rewind.  _What?_

It was perfectly normal for a person to call me by my first name seeing as that’s how things normally work where I’m from, but first-name basis here in Japan was something else entirely. From my understanding, isn’t that only used with family members, spouses, and exceedingly close friends? Why is he giving me permission to call him that when Shiki and Rima both still only call him by his surname?

“Y-You-You want me to call you by your first name?” My mind could not process it. It really couldn’t; it didn’t make sense. I…  _what?_ Maybe I’m thinking too much into this; I barely know anything about the customs here, so things are probably a lot different than what I think I know. My eyebrows furrowed, a look of deep confusion settling onto my face.

Ichijou seemed amused by this, his eyes twinkling with mischief, saying with a ridiculous calmness, “Yes. That  _is_ what I said.” I stared at him, utterly dumbfounded. He was being serious, wasn’t he? I thought I would have to go through some life-endangering situation to be given first-name basis rights, especially with someone as supposedly “elite” as Ichijou. “Why? Do you not want to?”

“No! I-I mean, it’s not that I don’t  _want_ to, but i-isn’t… isn’t that a… a special thing? L-Like only super close friends can call each other first name basis? I-I mean, it doesn’t bother me that you call me by my first name; that’s normal where I’m from, but everyone calls each other by last name here s-so, I-I-I mean-”

“You’re right.” I went silent, startled and taken aback by what he said. He trailed his fingers upwards, repositioning the rag on my forehead. I didn’t understand what the rag was for, but I guess different countries had different sick treatments. Ichijou held his hand up, counting with his fingers as he spoke. “Only four people call me by my given name and those people are my mother, my father, my grandfather… and Kaname. Ah! I almost forgot about Ruka, but she does it simply out of respect. But three of those people I mentioned are my family, only one of which I actually am fond of, and the fourth is a dear friend from my childhood. You, Irene-Chan, would be the third person I would personally like to have call me by first name.”

“...Do you not get along with your family?” I was lost. Sure, when I was little I had a lot of issues; most of them revolving around my cousin and how I was treated during that time, but somewhere during middle school things started to get better. I still have a constant fear of the demon haunting me to come back, of following me, of ruining everything… but she was manipulative and sadistic as they came, and a perfect actor to boot, so there wouldn’t be any way to prove it aside from word. Thankfully, I was here in Japan and far away from that monster… so I was safe. Unfortunately, those living with her were not. “Who do you get along with?”

His eyebrows raised, but he seemed pleased about the fact I was asking about him. His smile broadened. “My mother. She’s the sweetest woman, though a bit of a devil.” Ichijou chuckled at the thought. “She was the one who taught me the tea ceremony, flower arrangements… nearly everything I know. I think you would get along.”

O-Oh… well, I get along with both Skylar and Eliza’s mothers, so there’s a pretty good chance I would get along with Ichijou’s. Nearly every female adult I’ve met seemed to like me for some reason, along with all my siblings college friends. I could still remember half of their doubletakes when they saw me, glancing back and forth between me and Maria as they were startled by the resemblance. I think I was just better at talking to adults than I was to other people my age, unless I was rambling about something involving fictional characters, of course. “What’s she like?”

Ichijou hummed to himself, thinking. “She’s stubborn... will argue to get her way, and is also very polite. She’s the one who taught me to smile all the time.”

“So…” I registered the information he gave me, trying to imagine what she must look like, but I just got an image of a very petite, very pretty blond haired woman with green eyes. “Basically, she’s a female version of you? Got it.”

“E-Eh? N-No, that’s not what I was-” He started to fumble over his words, startled by what I said, before he saw my grin and realized I was teasing him. “Irene-Chan~ That’s not very nice!”

“You’re not very nice,” I retorted, still smirking. Ichijou pouted at me, displeased by my words, and crossed his arms with a huff as he sat up. “Seriously though, what you said just makes me think she’s a spitting image of you.” Oh god, that would be slightly terrifying. I can handle one Ichijou, but two? That’s as bad as multiple versions of myself.

Eyes suddenly watering I blinked and raised a hand up to my mouth, careful not to disturb Shiki, and yawned as quietly as I could. Jeez, why am I so tired? Oh, wait, stupid question. I really can’t think properly right now, can I? I scrunched my nose up when I heard Ichijou chuckling, not understanding what the heck it was he found so funny. “I’ll leave you to rest, alright, Irene-Chan? When you feel better, I’ll escort you to the Day Dorms.”

I opened my mouth to protest, but paused and thought about it. Considering how much trouble I  _did_ seem to be getting into recently… maybe it would be better to go along with it? Plus, it would help to make up for time lost. We had a lot of catching up to.  _More like “ketchup-ing” to do._ A grin curled up on my lips despite my attempt to hide it and I snorted, unable to prevent myself from laughing at my own bad joke.

He raised an eyebrow, clearly curious, but knowing I had probably thought up something involving bad jokes Ichijou simply shook his head. I thought about saying another awful pick-up line, if only to give in to the horrible urge of being cheesy, but I was never given a chance to when Ichijou picked up my left hand and planted a gentle kiss on the knuckles, smiling all the while. “Goodnight, Irene-Chan…”

“Uh, g-goodnight…” My voice squeaked a little and I cringed, but the blond just grinned wider.  _I-I should call him by his first name now, shouldn’t I?_ Was this a good time to call him by his first name? Ugh. Why am I freaking out so much over this? Unfortunately, too much time had passed and I found myself awkwardly rolling onto my side to try and escape his expectant stare.

I squeezed my eyes shut, feeling even  _more_ uncomfortable due to the fact that if Shiki was a light sleeper he probably heard the entire conversation, and even worse than that was the fact that if I fell asleep now I would probably end up clinging to the poor model during said sleep. I guess I could kiss that newfound friendship goodbye…  _I don’t know what I’m supposed to do._

Forcing myself to remain still when I felt the bed shift, Ichijou leaning down and brushing some of the hair out of my face and repositioning the rag on my forehead so it wouldn’t fall down any further than what it had. Once he stood, I waited until he was out of the room before pulling the blankets up and tucking them underneath my chin, curling into a ball and resisting the urge to cuddle against Shiki simply for the fact that I needed a really good hug right now. A hug that  _wouldn’t_ cause me emotional stress.

 _Seriously… where_ _is_ _Skylar?_ Maybe I’m just feeling paranoid, but I really do feel like something bad’s happened to her. Kaname  _is_ right; I don’t actually know if something happened to Skylar or not. She went on patrol like normal and when I woke up from a nightmare I panicked simply because she wasn’t there. I had been so paranoid these past few days-I was simply delusional.

I opened my eyes and brought my left hand up, staring at the indents on my wrist accompanied by the dry blood. My gaze drifted to stare at Shiki, who was in a more relaxed sleeping position. He looked so peaceful, but his mouth was just slightly ajar. I could see a rather sharp tooth poking out from his lips.  _I’m tempted to see for myself, but knowing my luck he’ll wake up and I don’t want to deal with the conversation of “why the hell is your finger in my mouth”._

I’m just… I’m just going to stop thinking (ha, yeah right) and try to get some sleep. I can… I can worry about everything later.

…

Skylar grimaced to herself as she yanked out the needles in her arm, flinching and trying her best not to throw up at the sight of them. Kaien was still sleeping, snoozing away quietly while completely sprawled out. She mentally apologized for doing this, but Skylar was  _not_ going to remain in this place. She felt fine aside from the occasional dizzy spell, so why should she bother?

Just thinking of staying here for any longer made her feel sick. Carefully pushing the blankets off, she dragged herself off of the bed and stood, making her way towards the window on the other side of the room. Her eyes glanced at the clock as she got to unlatching the locks, and she was surprised to see it it was already morning. Day Classes were probably starting about now…

Yeah. She  _definitely_ was already in here for too long. Chances were, she was going to suffer a really bad dizzy spell and might sprain her ankle from this drop to her blood loss, but the blood transfusion had returned a good portion of what she had lost, so… she might as well risk it. Danger was something she was used to, and while she avoided the safer routes it also had something to do with how she just didn’t  _care_. Safer routes were the longer routes, and she wanted to move quick.

She heard a small groan from behind her, Kaien shifting in his sleep. His hair had come partially undone from its ponytail, the sandy-blond locks askew and in his face. Some was even in his mouth from when he was drooling. He mumbled something and rolled onto his side, and Skylar hurried lifted the window. A few spots danced in her vision, and she waited to catch her breath and for them to go away before pushing it up the rest of the way.

“...Nnng… what time is it…?”

Skylar felt a surge of panic well up inside her chest and she threw a leg over the window sill, careful to hold onto the ledge as he climbed. She could hear the hospital bed creak as Kaien sat up, looking around the room in confusion. All that was visible was the top of her head when he realized she was missing, and by then she was already skillfully climbing her way down before she reached a ledge and jumped.

It was at that moment Kaien dashed over the window, peering out in completely and utter horror. “Rosemary-San!”

The huntress landed roughly on her feet, stumbling and struggling to regain balance as the world around her spun. She reached her hands out to grab onto anything to help her balance, but it wasn’t until she kept fumbling forwards that she was able to lean against a wall. Kaien grit his teeth together, frustrated and concerned for his student’s well-being, and dashed out of the room in hopes that he could at least catch up to her before she escaped.

Skylar caught her breath, fixed her stance, and then moved as fast as she could without fainting, desperate to get back to the school. She couldn’t stand hospitals. They reeked to sickness and death and… everything she hated. She wanted to vomit at the very thought of being awake in there for another day. She quickly crossed an intersection, carefully guiding her way back to the campus grounds.

Unfortunately, she knew it was going to take a while on foot. She took a deep breath and sighed, bringing a hand up and pressing it against the bandage on her neck. Skylar felt a shiver crawl down her spine and she shuddered, disturbed by the very memory of it.  _Why the hell did I hesitate?_ She still couldn’t answer that herself.

And Kaien, who had finally made it to the outside after being stopped by various concerned nurses, couldn’t find Skylar anywhere. So, as to avoid any public disturbances, went back and checked her out from the hospital. All that was left now was to head back to the Academy and hope he finds her along the way,  _and_ convince her to go back to the hospital so she could fully recover.  _Why must all hunters be so hard-headed?_

It really drove the man to the edge sometimes, for they all almost always disregard help when they most need it. He understood it, as he was once like that as well, but it didn’t stop bothering him nonetheless. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> To clear up any confusion, Irene IS aware of what the Night Class are, but while in both denial and searching for proper confirmation, she doesn't want to say "Vampire" in case they are actually called something else. Does that makes sense?


	23. A Brighter Knight P.2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> When secrets are revealed and Skylar sounds drunk.

Surprisingly, I  _did_ actually manage to get some sleep. When I woke up I wasn't attached to Shiki, thank god, but he was still fast asleep. I felt a lot better, no longer as dizzy when I moved, and I looked around in confusion when I realized the rag was no longer on my forehead. Did it fall down somewhere?

 _Ah, there it is._ Carefully pulling off the blankets, I slid off the bed so not as to disturb the sleeping redhead. After going to work with Rima and spending time with them both, I knew being up all day working while having classes at night wore down at them. They needed a break- _badly_.  _Slowly..._ I pressed my feet on the ground, blinking in surprise when I noticed I was barefoot. Was I still in my pajamas? Holy crap.  _Awkward..._

Tiptoeing across the room, I paused when a shelf just a few feet away from me and on the opposite side of the bed caught my attention. They looked like... manga? Confusion writing itself across my face I neared the bookshelf, kneeling down and staring at it in confusion. They  _were_ mangas.

 _Hellsing, Rosario + Vampire, Trinity Blood, Millenium Snow-_ Hey, I've read that one! It's by the same writer who wrote  _Ouran High School Host Club._ Reading along the titles, sure enough it appeared.  _Bisco Hatori_ was written in clear bold. Overall, there were a lot of mangas involving Vampires on this shelf. Even...  _Shiki?_

I can't remember if he asked me if I've heard of it or I'd had suggested it to him. All I know is that during one of mine and Ichijou's study sessions he had somehow managed to convince me to watch it with him. I ended up looking away more than once during the more gory of scenes, but I couldn't help but make multiple references to  _Mirai Nikki/Future Diary._

Losing track of time as I read all the titles, surprised to find some of my personal favorites such as  _Akatsuki no Yona/Yona of the Dawn_ and  _Gekkan Shoujo Nozaki-Kun/Nozaki Writes Romance Manga For Girls_ were on there. There were so many books and so many mangas... am I...

Oh god. No wonder the room reminded me of  _him_ so much. Because it  _is_ Ichijou's room. M-Maybe I should just... make my way out of here? I'm in my pajamas, I took a nap in Ichijou's bed with Shiki, and I  _still_ don't know if Skylar's alright. Wow, so much for having an uneventful life. Calm down... deep breaths.

Hand against my chest as I waited for my heart to calm down, I stood. I needed to get out of here. Question is... which door is the right one? I took a random gamble and went to the one on the left, but when I opened it I was greeted by what appeared to be a... living room? I stepped in, not really surprised at the sight of even more book shelves, but couldn't help be a  _little_ shocked at just how many he had. The blond in question was sitting on the sofa, legs crossed as he leaned against the armrest of the couch, a dictionary in his hands.

There was a small coffee table in front of him, decorated with an expensive tea set and pastries. A small pile of even more books were resting beside the teatray. Ichijou paused, hearing the door open, and sat up straight. He turned his head to look at me and I stared at him like a deer-in-the-headlights.  _Busted..._

He marked his page and closed the book, quickly standing and rushing over after I gave him an awkward wave. "Irene-Chan! What are you doing out of bed? You should still be resting!" I yelped when he suddenly reached down and picked me up, hoisting me up into his arms. "You were only asleep for two hours!"

"T-Two hours plenty!" I stammered, frantically throwing an arm out to close the door when he tried to open it. He stared at me with wide eyes, startled by my actions. I was too, honestly, but I was too embarrassed to sleep any longer in a bed with a guy I had only just become friends with. Besides, I was still in my pajamas. I stayed in that uncomfortable position- a hand clutching his shirt tightly with the other pressed against the door, my body dangling partially towards the ground. I was too scared to pull away from the door in case I fell. "I-I, uh... can't sleep."

He stared at me for a long moment, not believing a single thing I was saying, and sighed. I let out another small cry when he started to move, nearly falling to my doom, but I somehow managed to latch onto him in a moment of desperation and caught myself. His hand rested against my upper back, preventing me from greeting death. Before I knew it he was setting me down on the soft and taking a seat on the end beside me, picking up a small teapot and pouring in some hot liquid into a cup. "Do you like rose tea?"

"H-Huh? Uh, y-yeah-"

"How much sugar do you want in it?"

 _W-Wait, what?_  I stared at him with big eyes, startled by his questions. I watched as he poured hot tea into a small teacup, the familiar dark liquid building up inside the cup. The fragrance was unmistakeable. He was currently holding up a small teaspoon and a small container filled with sugar, looking at me expectantly. "O-One is f-fine..."

Ichijou smiled. As he poured sugar into the spoon and picked up the cup and the saucer he was balancing the cup on, he stirred it slowly and spoke. How he managed to still look so elegant while doing so I had no idea, but I found myself watching him as he did so, my attention grabbed without him even trying. "I enjoy many types, but rose tea happens to be my favorite as of the moment. Do you have any you like, Irene-Chan?"

He tapped the spoon against the rim of the cup lightly, shaking off any liquid, before resting it gently on a napkin that was on the coffee table. He held the cup and saucer out to me. Hands shaking a little, I took the cup and stared down at it nervously. It smelled  _really_ good... When was the last time I had rose tea? Probably before I came to Japan. I wish I brought my tea boxes with me...

I thought about my answer, staring at the hot liquid inside of the cup. It was a hard one to answer, especially since I rather liked nearly all floral teas I've tried. I wasn't big on chamomile, but I really liked chamomile with lavender, and while Early Grey did remind me a little of coffee I couldn't stand how fruity and sweet Lady Gray was.

"Uh... I guess it's a tie between Rose and Jasmine?"

"Oh?" He looked surprised. W-What did he think I was going to say? Ichijou blinked before smiling again. "Why's that?"

"W-Well, I-I just like floral teas... I also like green tea in and of itself, b-but rose and jasmine taste the best. I also really like flowers in general, and they smell really good, so I-I guess it has something to do with it? Th-They're not too sweet and not too bitter, so..." A memory came to me, sending me back to America when the band had taken a trip to Orlando. "Oh god, I was going through this whole phase of getting as many different kinds of teas as I could, most of them floral, but I could  _not_ find rose tea  _anywhere!_ I don't know why it was so hard to find, but I really couldn't! There was jasmine, there was chamomile, there was chamomile with  _lavender_ , chamomile with honey and lemon- that one was really gross, the only chamomile that was semi-good was the one with lavender- earl grey, lady grey, pure chamomile- again, pretty bad- but no rose tea!"

Ichijou shifted in his seat, getting situated so he was able to face me properly. He was grinning in amusement, knowing I was going to be talking for at least five minutes. He rested an arm on the top of the couch, taking a sip of his own tea. "Is that so? Why on earth would they have so many, but leave out the most important one?"

"I don't  _know!_ " I wasn't going to lie; him joining in made me a bit happy. "But it was only when the band took a trip to Florida a-and I think we were in Epcot, I could be wrong, but we went to one of the places based off of London and there was this tea shop, right? Well, I spent at least ten minutes looking through all of the shelves trying to find Rose tea, but I couldn't find it anywhere! I was too scared to ask, because not only am I not that good with people but if it wasn't on the shelves, did they really have any? And so we were about to leave and stuff, and I was really upset about it because I  _really_ wanted to try rose tea, when Mira- Skylar's best friend- went up and asked the lady for me! Mira's a fourth russian, by the way, she's really cool! We had just really started talking during that trip and we became friends! But anyway, turned out they had  _two_ boxes of Rose Garden tea. You have no _idea_ how happy I was!"

He laughed. I felt a bit embarrassed, but it was hard to erase the grin from my face. It was nice rambling to him like this again. Ichijou's grin broadened, his eyes understanding. "I can imagine! I would feel the same if I couldn't find the tea I was looking for. Why don't they have rose tea in more of your stores?"

"Right? You think Wal-Mart would have it since it has nearly everything, but it  _doesn't_. It's ridiculous! I bought both boxes, because I knew I would like it since I liked floral teas, but I had to wait a few days until I got home before I could actually try it." It was  _so_ good. I closed my mouth before I could talk any more and raised the cup up to my mouth, blowing on the liquid to cool it down. "Th-Thank you for the tea..."

God  _damn_ I needed this caffeine so bad. I relaxed as the warm liquid spread throughout my body, the comforting scent filling my senses and calming me. "Of course! Ah, there are some biscuits if you're still hungry. Here!" He picked up a small plate, holding it out to me with a smile. I hesitated before reaching out with my left hand to grab it, keeping hold of the cup with my right, and as I reached out my eyes caught sight of the indents on my wrist. "...Irene-Chan?"

I jumped a little, but not enough to spill the tea. I quickly took a bite of the pastry.  _Doesn't look like a biscuit. More like a small cake-thing..._ As I chewed, my eyes widened at the taste. "It's good!" I exclaimed, swallowing the bit I chewed. Ichiou looked... worried about something, though. I had a feeling he wasn't worried about the pastries and how they tasted... I looked up at him, frowning with knitted eyebrows. "What's wrong?"

"N-Nothing, just... are you not curious at all? How you got the... marks on your wrist?"

"Oh, that?" My voice rose as I feigned surprise, turning my hand over to look at the indents. "Nah. I get hurt all the time; I mean, I go to bed perfectly fine and then I wake up covered in bruises, so this isn't-it isn't-it's fine. Besides, as long as I'm not dead it doesn't matter." I gave him a quick closed-eye smile, hoping it was comforting, but when I opened my eyes and saw his expression I knew it was everything but. "I-Ichijou?"

"...Why?" His expression had darkened, taking on a more serious look, and his hair had fallen into his face. He uncrossed his legs, setting his cup down on its saucer and placing it gently onto the tea tray. His hands then cupped my face, pulling me forward and forcing me to look up at him as he leaned down closer to my height. His emerald eyes shimmered with scarlet, his nose just mere inches from my own. "Why are you so  _dismissive_ of everything? Why aren't you ever concerned? Don't you suspect  _anything?_ "

Do I be honest or lie? I want to tell him the truth, but at the same time I'm not sure how he'll take it. I think they're something  _similar_ to Vampires, but I don't necessarily want to say they are or call them that to their faces in case it might be insulting. For all I know they're called something else. There are multiple different legends of Vampires, after all, and they seem to be a bit of a mix of them. "I..." I don't know  _what_ to tell him.

It was then I realized the hands that were holding my face were shaking. Ichijou was trembling. Doing my best not to pull away from him, I set my cup as carefully as I could on the coffee table, arm just a little too short to reach the teatray. I reached a hand up to place it over his, but next thing I knew I was letting out a yelp as I was suddenly forced on my back, pressed against the armrest of the couch while Ichijou hovered over me.

"H-Hello!" I exclaimed, startled and more than a little alarmed. I could feel the heat on my face, and though I was pinned by my wrists it didn't stop me from trying to worm my way out from under him. "Wh-What are you do _ing-!?"_ My voice squeaked and I flinched when he leaned down, his mouth hovering near my neck. I could feel the electricity shoot down my spine, oddly pleasant chills going through me when his warm breath ghosted across the skin. "I-Ichijou?"

His fingers tightened around my wrists and I flinched, but I didn't protest. I had a feeling of what was about to happen. Struggling to calm my frantic heart, I forced my body to relax as I attempted to take even breaths. "I... I can't..." It was almost burning now. I squeezed my eyes shut, awaiting a piercing pain in my neck, but when none came I opened my eyes to find Ichijou had pulled away. His eyes were fully red now, glowing despite the lighting in the room. "I-If I start, I won't stop... Wh-Why do you keep tempting me like this?"

"...Because I like tempting you?" May I sit up now? You're still sitting on me. God, this is awkward... and a bit nerve-wracking, actually. It's a little uncomfortable, but at the same time I don't think I minded it as much as I normally would have. Hell, normally I probably would have started crying.

"...You're a cruel woman," He murmured. I inhaled sharply at those words, not entirely sure why they affected me so. I swallowed the lump forming in my throat, more awkward and anxious than I had ever been in my life. Why was the room so warm right now?

"F-Funny. You-Last time I recall, you kept com... complaining about me being too nice." My voice cracked a little.

Ichijou gave a sigh, releasing one of my wrists and instead bringing his hand up to run his fingers along the curve of my neck. It took all I had to remain still. "That's where part of the issue lies, Irene..." His actions were stiff, each movement shaking just a little as if he were fighting something. His other hand pulled away, but his fingers dug into the fabric of the cushion beside my head. His free hand dug into my shoulder. "I...  _want_ to hurt you... but if I do..." He choked. The blond ground his teeth together, a pair of fangs making themselves known as his lips curled back. "You shouldn't come near me anymore, Irene-Chan..."

Welp, honorific or not, I've heard enough of this nonsense. Scooting back as far as I could until I could sit up, I wasted no time in launching myself at him, wrapping my arms around his neck as he froze in place. "Well, too bad! I worked my rear off trying to get you back. Like I told Kaname; I don't  _care_ if you hurt me. I'm  _not_ going to lose you again. Okay? So do whatever you want... Takuma." I hesitated before using his first name, as I wasn't entirely sure what his reaction would be, but I came too far to back down now.

Maybe I was being a bit too... forceful about all this? All I know was that I was tired of this secrecy; I was tired of this distance. I wanted Ichijou Takuma back and I wanted the truth. Luckily, what I said appeared to be the final straw.

His arms wrapped around me without hesitation, his fingers digging into my back while the fingers on his right hand tangled themselves into my hair. I winced a little as he yanked my head to the side, the blond shifting and pressing me against the sofa, his fangs burying themselves into my throat without restraint. It was quick, no hesitation, the movements anything but gentle. It was as if he couldn't hold himself back anymore, as if the pain of  _not_ feeding was too great for him to bear.

I was unable to stop myself from crying out, the sharp stab of pain impossible to ignore, but I grit my teeth and clenched my jaw as tightly shut as I could when his fangs dug deeper into my neck. There was a tingle, a chill I suppose you could say, as I got used to both the odd sensation of my blood being drawn out of me and the breath ghosting along the skin on my neck. I could hear him drink, gulp after gulp, and after a short while his death-grip loosened. His hold on me relaxed, Ichijou not removing his hand from my hair but instead sliding it behind my back, pulling me closer to him and onto his lap.

Once the pain from his fangs piercing me went away it wasn't all that bad, really. It was sort of...  _nice_. I went from nervous to calm, eyes closed peacefully as I rested the side of my head on his shoulder. I could feel his heartbeat slow, no longer pacing erratically within his chest. Granted the feel of some blood trailing down my neck from when it escaped his lips was a little strange, I didn't entirely mind it. His hair was very ticklish though.

 _I still can't believe this is happening..._ It doesn't bother me, I find it more interesting than anything about how he's not exactly human, though if you told me a month ago I would be going to a school for the rich and intelligent, and would have ended up befriending some vampire-esque people, I probably would have laughed and made some goofy comment regarding that idea. I'm not even sure how much  _my_ blood would help, considering my horrible genetics, but if it helped even a little bit I'd give him all he wanted so long as I didn't die.

I... I feel kind of mean now, actually. All those times I got hurt and showed him the bleeding injury it might have hurt him in some way. I never noticed anything when we first started talking, but after we got closer I did begin to notice some odd things. The red hues in his eyes, the pointier than normal canines; I just didn't care to think much of it. Why should I? People aren't supposed to judge based on appearances. If I did that I would have fallen head over heels for him simply for the fact that he was attractive; I would have fallen for  _all_ the Night Class students because they were beautiful.

If he hadn't caught my drawing that day by accident, I would have never started talking to him. I'd have no reason to. And yet... knowing that there was the possibility I might never have met him... hurts.  _It's okay. It's okay. Don't think. Just... Just relax. You got him back and that's all that matters. You're friends again._ Still, blinking away tears didn't help much to dissuade the dark thoughts trying to take over my mind. There was a time after I first got amnesia and was left alone that I was  _seriously_ contemplating throwing myself out the window. I don't want to ever feel that...  _empty_  again.

I swallowed down the lump forming in my throat, resisting the urge to cling onto his shirt, and just nuzzled a little closer to him. He didn't seem to mind, in fact Ichijou actually seemed to welcome the affection, the male holding me tighter in arms.

Was I being too selfish? Sometimes I feel like I am, stubbornly trying to cling onto a friendship that I don't even know if it'll last. I'll be gone in two years; long-distance friendships/relationships rarely ever work. What am I supposed to do once I'm gone? I don't want to leave him  _or_ Cross Academy in general. I... really like it here. I really like  _him_.

Why... Why does it hurt so much? Just the thought of leaving here? Feeling the familiar sting of tears I squeezed my eyes shut, biting my trembling bottom lip (careful not to disrupt the stitching) and praying that he didn't open his eyes. I needed to calm down. To-To relax before he was finished drinking.

_"Nnng..."_

I froze. For a short few seconds, fear struck my heart. I remembered an incident that happened in Florida, with a person I wasn't particularly fond of, who actually disturbed me by a few of the things he did by breaking personal boundaries. He had frightened me more than anything then and I don't think I've ever been that...  _terrified_ until that moment.

Ichijou pulled his fangs out of my neck, licking the blood off his lips and wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. His now-emerald eyes gazed down at me with concern and anger, his eyebrows furrowed. "... _Who_ touched you?" I snapped out of it, glancing up at him in confusion. Though a bit dazed from the bloodloss, I was able to make out what it was he said.

"Wh-What?" His right hand trailed down to grip my arm, the blond leaning down so we were eye-to-eye. His expression darkened, his eyes flickering dangerously. "I-Ichijou?" I'm so lost right now; what the heck is happening? Who is he talking about?

He stared down at me, demanding an answer, but when he saw I understood nothing of what he spoke he sighed. Ichijou leaned down, nearing my neck again, and my breath hitched in my throat when I felt something warm and wet run roughly across my neck, over the bite marks he had left in the flesh. It was the  _weirdest_ feeling, but it didn't stop the goosebumps that ran along my skin. "Just forget it..." Ichijou murmured quietly, voice low and near my ear. "I already saw it all..."

Saliva was  _really_ gross; I couldn't even stand dog or baby drool, so it was taking everything in my willpower not to push him away.  _At the same time, though, I don't really want him to move. Ugh._ Ichijou always did have some way to mess with my mind; I'm not sure whether to blame the bloodloss anymore or to just pile all the blame on him. He was just a friend and nothing more; I'm delusional and currently influenced by previous conversations. I still haven't recovered from the recovery of my memories.

I blinked when I felt something soft press against the wound, the blond speaking softly as his lips hovered against the skin. "I seem to do nothing but cause you trouble..." Pulling away, he tucked some stray hair behind my right ear as he smiled gently. "I suppose I should be surprised you had already been rather aware of all this, but the evidence says it all."

The... evidence? What? "D-Define "evidence"? Please?" My head hurts too much to figure it all out right now. I shook my head, another thought coming into mind. "Uh, n-no, wait... oh god... Uh, how do you feel?" Focus, brain, focus. Get the words out.  _I'm so dizzy..._ "D-Did it help at all? I-I don't know how... how blood tastes to you, it-mine probably tastes pretty gross, but- but did it help? O-Or does any blood just work for you? H-How does-How does that work?"

Ichijou looked completely dumbfounded. After regaining his composure he cleared his throat, knitting his eyebrows together thoughtfully before he looked at me in completely serious, a frown adorning his face. "Irene-Chan... your blood is the  _only_ blood that can, and will, satiate me. That's why..." He took a deep breath, "That's why your memory was taken away. They realized my hunger would be uncontrollable unless I had your blood, and it would only be more difficult to control if I spent more time with you, so they...  _we_... erased your memories in hopes that our separation would make it easier."

... _My_ blood? Why only  _my_ blood? Why not someone else's? Do I have some blood mutation I'm not aware of that makes my blood more desirable or something?  _...That sounds weird. I don't like that. Let's not go there, brain._ It... It feels like there's something he's not telling me. I thought of what he said, but could come to no decent conclusion. I still regained my memories in the end and Ichijou failed to control his thirst. "That... didn't work, did it?" I could remember very vividly his reaction at the restaurant when I cut myself on the knife.

Ichijou closed his eyes and lowered his head, shameful of what happened. "N-No, I... The separation ended up having the opposite effect. In fact I... I couldn't stop thinking of you." The blond brought a hand up to his face, his lips curling back as his teeth ground together. I don't think I've seen Ichijou so... vulnerable before. "It started to eat away at me, and I began taking more and more blood tablets- our substitutes for the real thing- but none of it  _worked_. I just became hungrier-so much so it got to the point where Shiki and Kaname were giving me their blood."

But... weren't they the same species? Can they drink from each other or...

"It didn't work. It gave me a little satisfaction, but  _nothing near_ what I needed- what I  _wanted_. Being near you became painful, seeing you, and being able to smell your blood alone nearly drove me insane. A-And when you were right next to me and covered in your own blood I-" His voice cracked. He pushed his bangs back with his hand, revealing his face, and his eyes gazed at me in shame and guilt. "I almost let myself bite you. It was so  _tempting_ \- your neck was right there and I-" He inhaled deeply. Ichijou opened his eyes, looking down at me solemnly. "I almost ruined everything. I understand if you don't forgive me; I don't deserve your forgiveness. You probably want me to rot and writhe in agony as I suffer from starvation now, don't you? After I admitted all that..."

I... I don't even know what to say. I was still processing what exactly he was admitting. I opened and closed my mouth a few times, trying to speak yet not having the words, and when I came to the decision that I  _didn't_ know what to say I sat there for a moment, the two of us enveloped in silence as we just stared at each other, both waiting for the other to make a move or say something.

It was obvious all of that had been building inside of him for a long time-probably since he had erased my memories-and for him to admit that after indulging himself in, what he claimed to be, the only real "meal" in ages, I could only imagine what must be going through his mind right now. He seemed so different from the bright, cheerful, and secretly a little sadistic Ichijou I had known before. That changed nothing however, for he was still my friend. I suppose seeing how hard I fought to remember he could be considered one of my  _best_ friends.

 _Sh... Should I hold his hand? D-Do I hug him?_ What the heck is one suppose to do in this kind of situation? I closed my eyes, flinching a little and shaking my head, before taking a deep breath and looking up at him. Not exactly knowing what I was doing, I reached forward and pressed a hand against his chest, right where his heart was. It was beating quickly-almost as quickly as it had been when he bit me.

Ichijou looked confused, his eyebrows knitting together as he blinked away the tears that were forming, and in a small, quiet voice he asked, "I... Irene-Chan? What are you doing...?"

"...W-Well, when your heart is beating  _that_ fast I don't think I c-can exactly be mad at you. I-It's because you're worried, r-right?" I felt a lump forming in the back of my throat, but I tried to ignore it. I looked up at him and then back at his chest quickly, feeling a little flustered myself. Ichijou blinked. "I-I didn't even know I  _had_ the capacity to be mad at you o-or even to  _not_ forgive you. Besides, I... I finally earned the privilege of calling you "Takuma", right? I-I know I'm a bit mean, but I'm not  _that_ much of a jerk to just toss you aside like that." I gave him a timid smile, watching as his eyes widened, only to completely lose my thought process when a smile of pure  _relief_ and  _joy_ just spread across his lips.

"Irene!"

"Wh- _Whaah!_  F-Flying person-!"

Without any warning Ichijou had launched himself at me, knocking me onto my back as he hugged me. It had a brief flashback to when I met Shiki and Rima for the first time in the Moon Dorm lobby, having woken up after waiting for Ichijou to return from the Night Class for tutoring. There were black dots dancing in my vision, brought on from the sudden movement, and my head pounded loudly. My hearing faded-in-and-out as well, but I was able to make out Ichijou ecstatically saying how happy he was at the situation, how he was so relieved that I was accepting of everything, and talking about how he doubted other humans would be so...  _kind_.

That word again... what is up with that word? What happened to being described as "obnoxious" or "annoying"? "Loud" or "childish"? Even sarcastic would do. I sighed, fighting desperately against the smile trying to form, and brought my arms up to reciprocate the embrace. My head was pounding like crazy and I could hear my heart beat loudly, but it was only after I closed my eyes that everything went completely black.

When I woke up I was laying on my side, feeling much better than I had earlier. I was a little dizzy, but my body didn't hurt as bad as it did. I groggily opened my eyes, blinking a few times, and yawned as I pushed myself into a sitting position. Feeling a pair of eyes on me I turned and looked to the side, startled to see Shiki sitting there with a pocky stick dangling out of his mouth. His tired blue eyes stared at me, observing quietly. "Sh... Shiki-San?"

Without a word he simply nodded. Biting off part of the stick, he pulled the remains into his mouth using merely his tongue. Relatable. Chewing and swallowing, he finally spoke. "Ichijou-San ran off to talk to the Dorm head... so I'm left to watch you."

"O-Oh... uh, y-you didn't have to. You-You could have kept sleeping." He  _does_ stay up most of the day time because of his work, and since he has classes at night I doubt it helps very much. Speaking of, does the sun affect the Night Class at all? I know they're similar to Vampires, but does that mean they're affected by the light? They walk in it all the time...

Shiki sighed and shook his head, looking down at the bag in his hands and carefully pulling out another pocky stick. "Ichijou-San woke me up with his yelling. You fainted again and he overreacted. It's normal."

Okay then...

"He  _always_ overreacts. Over me, over Rima... over you." He took another bite, closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the couch. Shiki stretched his legs out, wiggling his toes, before slumping into the sofa cushions. "Ichijou-San is very dramatic."

I watched Shiki for a long moment before letting out another yawn, stretching myself and collapsing back down onto my side. "You don't have to tell me that twice," I mumbled, closing my eyes as the exhaustion washed over me. I wanted to sleep forever. "...I have a question..."

"...?"

"Were you ever going to tell me the truth?"

Silence. I didn't have to look at him to know he was staring at the marks on my neck. The wound on my wrist. Shiki didn't give me an answer for the longest time, though it wasn't like I really expected him to. I could hear him munch on the pocky sticks, the room so very quiet aside from our breathing, and it was only when Shiki stood up and turned to face me that he said anything. "Follow me."

I opened my eyes, startled by his words. I sat up slowly, careful not to make myself nauseous, and stared at him. "T-To where?"

"...The Day Dorm. Classes have already started. Come on." Getting slightly irritated at my behavior, Shiki reached forward and grabbed my wrist, pulling me onto my feet. It wasn't as rough as before, but it still caught me off guard and caused me to stumble. Shiki wasn't one to cut corners, something I learned from spending so much time with him and Rima, but I wasn't exactly used to being dragged around like this yet. "And cover your neck. It's so obvious..."

"O-Obvious?" Shiki stopped in front of the door when I said that, releasing my wrist and instead placing a hand on my head and forcefully making me turn to reveal the wound. His index and middle finger ran across the bite marks. They were still a little sore, so it took a bit of willpower not to wince. I could feel the heat run to my face, recalling the position Ichijou and I were in when he was drinking my blood.

"Ichijou-San was too rough with his fangs..." He noted calmly, expressionless as ever. I blinked, confused and curious by what he meant. Was there a way to be gentle when biting someone? That's an interesting thought. "Make sure you get proper treatment, otherwise it'll scar. Model or not, a girl shouldn't let herself have blemishes or scars. It ruins the skin."

Oh... uh, thank you? "O-Okay... I-I'll keep that in mind." Shiki nodded, turning his attention away from me, and opened the door. His eyes were almost piercing as they scanned the hallway. He closed the door without a word, leaving us in the livingroom, and gestured for me to wait here while he walked off and left through a door on the opposite side of the room. When he came back, there was a pale blue scarf in his hands.

"Obvious, but no one will say anything if they can't see it." He handed me the scarf, clearly expecting me to wear it. I opened my mouth to protest, but seeing his intense gaze made me hesitate and change my mind. Sighing and muttering a quiet "thank you" I wrapped the scarf around my neck, tying it in the front. He opened the front door again, motioned for me to follow, and we left the room. As we were walking he handed me a pocky stick, something of which I took gratefully and quickly munched on.

I hovered close to Shiki when I saw that there were multiple Night Class students up and awake. I recognized some of them as people who were there after Ichijou and I spoke after my argument with Kaname. There was confusion, suspicion, respect... multiple things shown in their gazes, but I tried not to let my nervousness show. I tried to keep my head up high, attempting to mask my fear by walking like I owned the place.

The idea that the entire Night Class was filled with people who weren't really human didn't bother me, but their stares certainly made me nervous and uncomfortable. I fiddled with the scarf, needing some way to vent out the anxiety of what they must think of a regular human forcing her way into the life of someone as important as Ichijou, and silently followed Shiki down the stairs to the front door.

We were just about to leave when there was a familiar voice calling out to us, a blond rushing down the stairs. "W-Wait! Shiki, Irene! Let me go with you!" Ichijou ran towards us, giving a bright smile despite the concern in his eyes. "I'll escort you to the dorm."

Shiki looked down at me, then up at Ichijou. I looked back-and-forth between the two tall males. After a long moment Shiki sighed and shoved a hand in his pocket, stepping forward and placing a hand on the top of my head. Before I knew what was happening, I was stumbling backwards and then there was a pair of arms around me, my back pressing against a familiar chest.

"Sh-Shiki?" Ichijou looked deeply confused, keeping a firm hold on me to prevent me from falling over. I shifted, moving my foot back so I could regain proper balance, but didn't exactly pull away from the blond. Shiki just shrugged, taking out another pocky stick and letting it dangle out of his mouth. "Are... you not going with us?"

"...I've spent enough time with Terrier-San." He said. Was... Was he trying to get Ichijou and I to spend more time together? Is that what this is? It had to be something, because Shiki started to walk away, heading back up the stairs and going to the direction of his and Ichijou's dormroom. "Don't mess this up again," he told Ichijou instead of a goodbye.

The blond blinked, his eyes growing wide, before a small smile lit up his face. "I wouldn't dream of it." One single nod, and then the red-haired model was gone. I craned my neck, twisting slightly so I could look up at Ichijou, and the male looked down at me brightly. I felt my face heat up a little at that smile, but I pretended not to notice.

"So...  _you're_ escorting me back to the dorms?"

"So it appears," He grinned. Well then... I guess I should thank Shiki later. Ichijou unwrapped his arms from around me, allowing me to step back, but before I could completely recover the blond grabbed my hand and laced his fingers with mine. My eyes widened at the action, though I quickly tried to hide my surprise. If he noticed he didn't say anything, simply opening the door and letting me leave first, following closely behind before catching up so we were walking side-by-side.

 _This is Ichijou, Irene; you know how touchy-feely he is._ It doesn't mean anything.

And, as if to just mess with my already scrambled thoughts, his hold tightened just slightly, tugging and pulling me a little closer so we weren't walking too far apart. I honestly can't tell if he's dense and doesn't realize what this looks like, or if he's doing it on purpose because he likes to mess with me. We don't talk for a week and then this happens...

Still, I suppose I won't deny that I...  _liked_ holding his hand. Ugh. Stupid emotions. I swear, if it wasn't for what Skylar said I wouldn't even be  _considering_ this. I. Don't.  _Like him_  in that way. We're both just very clingy and affectionate people who like physical touch.  _He's just a good friend and nothing more. He doesn't feel anything for me._

The walk was filled with silence, though it wasn't uncomfortable in the slightest. A little nerve-wracking maybe, what with the butterflies romping about in my stomach and how acutely aware I was of his presence, but not bad at all. In fact, I was a little disappointed once we reached the entrance to the Day Dorms.

I turned, ready to bid goodbye, when suddenly I found myself wrapped in an embrace, face buried in a shoulder. He had to lean down to hug me, once again making me wonder if it hurt his back, and as he began to pull away he reached forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead. I was frozen in place, seriously beginning to question how he felt and if anything about our friendship was platonic at all. The rate my heart was pounding was making me consider that maybe Skylar was right after all, but at the same time I feared and doubted it.

Ichijou smiled warmly, eyes soft and far more open than they were before. It was as though all his worries had been washed away, the weight of the world removed from his shoulders, and he could act even more freely than before. "Don't forget your tutoring sessions, Irene. Shiki and I still have a lot to teach you. I'll talk to the Headmaster later, so just lie down and get some rest. Alright?"

"O-Okay... uh, th-thank you." Why am I so nervous? I shouldn't be so nervous. I gave an awkward wave and a timid smile, pretending not to notice how cold my hand was now that he let go and the urge to grab it again. "You-You get some sleep, too, okay?"

He chuckled. "Of course. Good night~." Ichijou turned, ready to walk away, and after a small moment of panic and confusion I found myself rushing forward and wrapping my arms around his waist. Ichijou faltered, surprised, but before he could make any movement to reciprocate the embrace I pulled back, blinking a few times and struggling to meet his gaze.

"S-Sorry..." I wasn't entirely sure  _why_ I did that; a part of me was scared that once we parted ways he might disappear and my memory would vanish again. Foolish, but after all that had happened... I think it was alright to be a little worried. I brought a hand, rubbing at my neck and pausing when I felt the bite marks, before looking up at him with a timid smile. "Um, g-goodnight."

I could hear my heart pounding, and for a long moment I wondered if he was able to as well. He grinned broadly, eyes glimmering with amusement, and he brought a hand up to his chin with his other arm crossed over his chest, propping up his right elbow. "More of "good morning", don't you think? And hopefully many more..."

...I don't know what to say to that. I wasn't sure  _how_ to react, especially his smile made my brain so muddled. All I could do in response to his words was nod my head awkwardly, biting back an excited grin. "Y-Yeah... Um... g-good morning, then."

He gave another laugh, positively beaming despite appearing so tired underneath the morning sun's rays, and stepped forward. Ichijou wrapped his arms around my shoulders one last time, leaning down and burying his face in my hair. My body stiffened, a little startled by the sudden movement, and I faltered for a moment before wrapping my arms around his small waist. Relaxing, I closed my eyes and turned, resting the side of my head against his chest as I listened to his heartbeat.

This... was nice. I liked this. Being near him, hugging him,  _being_ hugged by him... and just knowing him. Just knowing he was here with me and alive, that we were friends, that... my memories weren't false.

"Thank you, Irene..." I paused, confusion flickering onto my face, but I didn't pull away. Ichijou inhaled deeply, holding me tighter if only for a few seconds. "Thank you."

I wanted to ask  _what_ he was thanking me for, but at the same time I wasn't sure if I should. So instead I just moved closer, burying my face into his shoulder. "It's fine... you don't have to thank me for anything."

At that, Ichijou tensed. Then, without warning, he let out a laugh. "You really are like Shiki! I knew it; you two are even friends like I said you'd be!" He pulled away, hands on my shoulders, and grinned down at me. His eyes looked a little watery-like he was holding back tears. His expression was soft as he spoke, "Maybe that's why... Maybe that's why you're so easy to talk to? You're so much more open and easy to read, but at the same time you're so much alike..."

"Oh, thanks." I scowled, though not really offended. I had been told I was an open book, which  _was_ the reason why some of my friends like me so much or find it easy to talk to me. Because I'm so open with my emotions and feelings, it's as if they've known me forever- or so I've been told. "So you like me because I'm similar to Shiki?"

"That's not what I meant," He said, frowning. After a moment he blinked. "Oh... you were joking, weren't you?" I grinned, stepping back and moving closer to the dorm entrance.

"You know it! Well... uh, good morning. I'll... see you later?" With another smile, he laced his fingers together behind his back and nodded.

"Of course; ah, perhaps I should see if the Headmaster will allow us to eat with him again now that you've remembered everything..." He hummed to himself, a thoughtful expression on his face. Ichijou bowed his head just slightly, bidding farewell, and turned on his heel with a small wave, leaving me by my lonesome.

I turned around, bringing my hands up and crossing my arms over my chest as I thought about how weird this day was, before making my way into the dorm. I walked through the corridors, going up the stairs necessary to get to my dorm room, and resisted the intense urge to scratch at my neck. I tugged on the scarf Shiki let me borrow, fiddling with it, and took a moment to be grateful for the Headmaster giving me and Skylar a huge stack of band-aids when we first got here.

 _Stitches with kisses I suppose,_ I thought, biting part of my lip that didn't have stitches. From all my nervous biting the threads had loosened,but not so much so that they came completely undone. I wonder... is that what Kaname had meant?  _Acts like a gentleman, but has a beast waiting to be unleashed..._

I pushed open the bedroom door, pulling the scarf off and folding it carefully as I set on my unmade and  _very_ messy bed, and went to the bathroom. I assumed Skylar was at class, for while I had woken up in a panic multiple times thinking something bad happened nothing could have actually happened. Right? How would I even know if something was wrong? Reaching into the cabinet behind the mirror, I pulled out a small box and quickly applied the ointment (as per Shiki's request) and slapped on the band-aid. I stepped back, admiring the handiwork, and tried to ignore how ridiculous I looked.

The only consolation out of all the bruises and injuries I was currently sustaining was that I no longer looked like I had black eyeshadow under my eyes. I was severely pale, both from illness and bloodloss, but it could be worse.  _Maybe they weren't far off when they were making up those stories about how I got into a fight,_ I thought, disturbed by all the bandages and stitches I had.

I curled my left hand, staring at the Headmaster's needlework, and glanced up at the mirror to see the stitches held loosely on my lip. Then there was the band-aid on my neck...

"I really  _do_ have a target painted on me, don't I?"

The moment I said that, however, there was a loud thud and the breaking of glass just outside the bathroom door. I jolted, barely clamping my mouth shut in time to avoid letting out a high pitch shriek, and in a moment of panic I reached out and grabbed the hand soap bottle for a weapon, anxiously sneaking towards the bathroom room door and listening for a moment.

All I could think of in that moment was of how I was attacked before- when a person climbed in through the window and attacked me. Probably one of the Night Class students, now that I'm thinking on it, and I think she was trying to do something with my memories, but I kept hitting back until she slammed me against a wall and hit me hard on the head. God, that was terrifying...

 _Wait. What if it IS her? What if... What if she came back to finish what she started?_ I'm  _not_ going to lose my memories a second time. So help me, I will destroy that woman. I slowly turned the door handle, opening it and peering out, only to drop the hand soap in alarm when I saw who was wobbling about in the room, struggling to stand.

"S-Skylar!?"

"... _Haaaah?_ " Her reaction was a bit slow, the girl look severely dizzy as she struggled to remain upright. Her dazed eyes landed on me, seeming a bit glossed over, and she blinked. "I... Irene...?" She had a few cuts on her hand and knees from the shattered glass of the window, her dark hair a tangled mess, with a giant cloth wrapped around her neck. "Ah!" She shouted suddenly, pointing at me, and I blinked when she started to wobble over.

Fearful of her hurting herself I dashed over, reaching out to try and keep her steady, and as she wrapped her arms around my shoulder there was an intense pain in my neck as she suddenly decided to yank off my new band-aid. " _Ow!_ Skylar, what the flip!? That  _hurts!_ " I cried out in pain, keeping one arm linked with her right, and the other reaching up to cover the stinging skin. "Why'd you do that!?"

"Who 'dun it!?" She demanded, voice slurring a little as she glared. Her eyes had some trouble focusing, but the anger was there. I blinked, eyes widening when she grabbed my shoulders and started to shake me. "Who... Who bi' you!?" Is... Is she okay? Why... is she even acting like this?

It was then I took notice of her pale, clammy skin. It was unnerving seeing her like this, and extremely disturbing, and I tried to guide her to the bed. "Just-Just calm down, okay? You-You don't look very good..."

"Who  _bi'_ you, Irene!?" Good gods, she's slurring like crazy. Thank goodness she's speaking in English. "Wha' fruggin' 'ampire ids this to you!?" Who did  _what_ do to me? She's acting like a drunk person! Jesus... "Whuz it 'anabusa? I'mma kill 'em!"

"Just... Just lie down. Please." This was how the next five minutes was spent, struggling to get Skylar to calm down and sit on the bed. She kept rambling on about how someone hurt me, or to be precise  _bit_ me, which made we wonder if she knew about the Night Class. Wait, wasn't she trying to say "Hanabusa" earlier? Who the heck is...  _Oh._ Aidou. Suddenly, everything makes sense. "S-Skylar, hey!"

The girl slumped forward, head hitting my shoulder as she threatened to doze off. "I'm so sweepy..." Not knowing what else to do, I awkwardly reached up and pat her on the head. It was at that moment the door opened, or to be precise...  _slammed_ open.

"Rosemary-San, please!" Kaien stood there, breathing heavily and bent over with a hand on his thigh, struggling to catch his breath. His glasses were dangling precariously off of his nose. Skylar struggled to stand, pushing herself away from me, and gave him a faltering glare. She wobbled, staggering backwards, and waved her index finger at him as her hair fell into her face.

"N... No! B-Bad Mr. Cross! I-I'm no... I'm not... sick..." A hand on her forehead, she stepped back, but her leg hit the side of the bed and she fell, landing directly onto it. I jumped, startled by the movement, and quickly walked over to make sure she was alright. Kaien looked utterly exasperated, but the worry in his eyes remained.

Standing up straight, he moved closer-only to pause and look down at me with wide eyes. Then he was grabbing my chin, forcefully craning my neck and staring at the very fresh bite marks that were on my neck. "Who did... Taylor-San, what exactly do you know?" He demanded, frowning at me. Uncomfortable with the close proximity I pulled away, stepping back from him and quickly bringing a hand up to cover the marks.

"...Know what? And do you  _have_ to call me that?" It sounds so weird. I'm used to him squealing and being all bubbly, calling me "Irene-Chan". Kaien blinked, surprised. "Now we sound like complete strangers."

"You... remember now?"

I faltered, hesitating as I gave a small nod. "Y-Yeah..." 


	24. An Informative Knight P.1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "You claim he's a friend, that you care for him, but in the end you deny him… and dangle yourself in front him as if baiting him on. You let him drink your blood without knowing the meaning behind such an act, and let him shower you with such affection… Tell me, Terrier-San… just where does your heart lie? Or… do you even have one with how heartless you've been treating him?""
> 
> "Who the hell do you think you are to go about calling me heartless!? "

Due to the current situation and Skylar's severe blood loss, Kaien decided to wait until later to interrogate me about the bite mark. As he hoisted Skylar up into his arms, he told me to meet him at his house after I cleaned up and changed into proper clothing. I was reluctant to leave Skylar alone, if only because I was scared of her condition, but I did as told.

Not wanting to deal with anymore stares or questions as to what happened, I slipped on one of my favorite button-ups and some faded jeans. I then proceeded to slip on my jacket, and as I ran out the hallway, I struggled to slip on my sneakers, hopping up and down on my foot.  _I-I gotta hurry!_ I knew, I just  _knew_ earlier that something bad had happened to Skylar and now… she was so low on blood she couldn't even stay awake.  _I-I'm sorry, I'm so sorry…_

I should have stayed at the dorm. I shouldn't have acted out; I shouldn't have ran to school. I should have left the campus grounds.

_But if I didn't run to the school I never would have gotten my memory back._

When I had that thought my body stopped moving. I froze mid-step at the entrance of the forest. If I didn't panic and run to the school I never would have encountered Kaname. I never would have gotten to see Ichijou again, to talk to him, to learn the truth about the Night Class and regain all my memories about them.

"I'm a terrible friend…"

I brought a hand up to my face, lips curling back as a sob tried to build up in the back of my throat. She was so badly hurt and I wasn't even there for her. I can't believe I-  _no. No._ I'm heading over to Kaien's to fix that mistake. I wasn't able to be there for her when it happened; I'm going to be there for her as she recovers- and she  _will_ recover. Taking a deep breath, forcing myself to relax, I glared determinedly at the woods in front of me and stepped forward, making my way to Kaien's house.

…

Shiki had been laying on his back, attempting to nap on the couch, when the door opened and Ichijou walked into the room. A real smile was spread on his lips, soft and happy, green eyes warmer than they had been in what felt like forever to the redhead. Shiki turned his head with a look of indifference to observe the blond, watching with an odd feeling of relief blooming in his chest when he saw him.

Ichijou was humming. A good,  _genuine_ hum- the kind of hum one only does when they're extremely happy. Shiki was used to a lot of musical days from the blond, but this wasn't anything like those days. When Ichijou lifted his head and saw the redhead staring at him, his grin merely broadened and he squealed, dashing forward and tackling the redhead on the couch.

Shiki grunted, but didn't bother pushing the bubbly blond off of him. Ichijou sat up, shifting until he was straddling the model, and beamed down at him. Then, without any warning other than the huge smile on his face and the way his eyes brightened, he went into a full detailed explanation as to what happened after he and Irene had left the dorm. Shiki tried to pay attention, but he couldn't help but let his mind wander.

There's no doubt that there were going to be some furious people when Ichijou and Irene actually get together; a lot of women had their eyes on the blond- Vampire and Human alike. The poor girl had already been targeted multiple times, yet every time she just brushed it off and laughed… until the blond was mentioned or she recalled something and she would space out, growing deeply emotional and thrust into intense, unbearable pain as the memories tried to rush back.

It didn't bother Shiki at first- he had made himself into a doll with emotions and lived that way for the longest time- but after seeing how Ichijou was affected the first few days the redhead began to feel strange. He didn't remember the last time he raised his voice; if he ever did it had been a long time ago- way before his mother was driven insane.

The only time he could remember speaking up for something  _he_ wanted was when he first saw Rima- the girl at an acting audition. He walked up and grabbed her by the hand, pulling her along with him and demanding that she be his partner in the modeling set he was going to be doing. They were only little kids then.

_I had yelled at Ichijou-San… I had tried to make Terrier-San speak with Ichijou-San._

Shiki wasn't sure why the events with his best friend and the Human girl had bothered him so greatly. He had things he liked and disliked, but he never acted out on them. Until now, when Ichijou's smile became forced and lacking… and Shiki saw Irene depressed and no longer her bubbly self.

The Hunter girl hadn't been around constantly during that time either- too busy scoping out who the attacker was for vengeance. Her anger had blinded her during that time. And that's not to mention the fact that Ferret Elizabeth was Night Class, constantly tutoring other students, so it wasn't as though she could go out of her way to comfort her friend either. Terrier Irene was alone.

And Ichijou's hunger just got worse.

Shiki was surprised when Terrier-San recognized him, but felt relieved when she mentioned Ichijou. So he questioned her, dragged her into town to the cafe they all once met at. She denied the cupcake Shiki offered even though she had eaten one when Ichijou asked her, and when her scent turned to that of fear…

It wasn't that she was scared of Shiki in general, but more so the memory of him and Ichijou. She blatantly ignored all the signs Shiki gave her about their race, of how they were Vampires, but after she regained her memories and Ichijou bit her… she didn't freak out. She accepted them and the Night Class for what they were.

And because of the way she acted, the words she said when the one model had attacked her, she had earned both his and Rima's respect. She didn't scream or cry, wailing about how she needed help, and instead responded to the situation and insults stubbornly. Irene was bubbly and obtuse, but she didn't take insults. It almost made sense as to why Ichijou was so fond of her. She was a very strange Human, with strange choices of friends, and wasn't nice to just anybody.

Rima and Shiki had started to like Irene after that, too, and gradually began to view her as a friend.

_These two are so troublesome…_ Shiki sighed. They were destroying what Shiki worked so hard to protect, tearing down his wall ever so slowly. Ichijou stopped rambling, staring down at Shiki in concern when he heard the exhale. Opening his eyes, Shiki blinked and met the familiar green gaze. "...Hm?"

"...Is something the matter, Shiki?"

The model shook his head, ignoring his friend's concerned eyes. Ichijou pouted, reaching forward and brushing the bangs out of Shiki's face, before leaning down and wrapping his arms around him as best as he could in an effort to hug him. "...?"

"I'm so sorry, Shiki… but thank you- for everything. I've been a very selfish friend."

The model sighed and turned his head, too lazy to raise his arms and instead letting his forehead rest against Ichijou's shoulder. "Stop apologizing, Ichijou-San… just get some sleep."

"Yes, yes~!" Ichijou sang, voice soft and filled with relief. Ichijou nuzzled Shiki's hair for a short moment before he pulled away and got off of him, standing and waving as he headed towards his bedroom. "I'll see you later tonight then~ Sweet dreams, Shiki!"

Shiki tiredly watched as Ichijou closed the door behind him. The blond completely out of sight, the model shifted and turned on his side, looking into nothing as he closed his eyes. "Sweet dreams… Ichijou-San."

Even if his walls came down, even if Shiki slowly forgot how to be a doll… as long as Ichijou remained smiling he didn't really care.

…

I'm lost. I had thought I remembered the way, but everything was still such a jumble from when my memories came back to me it was hard to figure out which way led where. I found myself arriving at the Moon Dorms again instead of the Headmaster's house, and when I backtracked I found myself in the place where Aidou had attacked me the first time.

_Takuma kept pulling on his ear whenever he tried to talk,_ I recalled, snorting at the memory and how irritated the shorter blond was. It was such a relief to know that Aidou had only been trying to drink my blood… if it was anything else I would probably still remain scared of him.  _Though I don't plan on going anywhere near him soon…_

Even if I'm not scared of him anymore, I am quite uncomfortable at the thought of just being near him. I shivered, both from the idea and from the sudden gust of wind.

_I knew something was weird about them, but I chose not to focus on it… what could I even say? "Hey, nice fangs you got there. Where'd you get them"?_

I sighed, shaking my head. What was even the point in erasing my memories when I would just recall them, anyway? I understand Ichijou's reasoning, but what I don't get is  _why_ he needed my blood out of anyone else's. Him erasing my memories hurt both of us in the end and, if I hadn't remembered, what would have happened to him?

_He said he was being driven mad…_ My fingers brushed against the marks on my neck, clear to see due to the lack of a band-aid and my boyishly short hair. I winced a little, the area still a little red and sore from being pierced.  _I love her to death, but did she seriously need to rip off the bandage? Now it hurts even more…_

And speaking of love…

_"_ _I mean you had loved Upperclassman Ichijou… didn't you?"_

Skylar claimed I had all the signs, that my stubborness in remembering him meant I had feelings for him. Sure, I  _liked_ Ichijou… but as a friend. Just because it hurt not having him in my life doesn't mean that I thought of him in  _that_ way. Right?

I avoid relationships like the plague; I'll help Skylar with hers, but I never would get in one myself. At least, I don't plan to.  _Even if I did like Takuma a-and… for some insane reason he felt the same… it wouldn't work. Vampires are immortal, right? My lifespan would just be a blink of an eye for him. He…_

He cares for me as a friend right now, but after I'm dead and gone… he'll forget about me completely. I'll be old and crinkly and he won't want anything to do with me. Besides, wouldn't it be… like, forbidden to have a relationship between a Human and a Vampire? That's how it always is in the movies…

_Why am I thinking about this?_ I mentally berated myself and looked up, leaning my head back as I stared up at the early morning sky and the moon that was just barely visible.  _I'm lost, I'm confused, and… and I don't even know my own heart anymore…_

I looked around me, ignoring the lump trying to build up in my throat and stinging in my eyes.

_I-I don't even know which way lead to the Headmaster's…_ This is pathetic. I can't believe I'm still so useless even after gaining my memories. Then again, I had been in the house the entire time I was ill and didn't really leave until  _after_ Ichijou took my memories away. Everything really does seem to lead back to him, doesn't it?  _I don't even think I knew how to get there in the first place…_

The only places I had memorized the directions to were the school and the Dorms.

"A-Alright, let's try something else…" I'm going to spin around in a circle with my eyes closed and point in a random direction. "One, two… and a~ three!" Opening my eyes, I pointed in front of me with a grin and exclaimed, "That way!"

I marched off, singing random songs in my head to distract myself from the rustling bushes and tree branches, only to stop when I could actually hear footsteps. Footsteps… that were heading in my direction. I looked around in alarm, resisting the urge to panic, and completely lost in the forest… I burst out into a short run.

Unfortunately, I was still quite low on blood and didn't get very far without becoming dizzy. My breathing was a little difficult as well, but there wasn't much I could do for that at the current moment. "N-Not… Not Aidou-San…" I gasped, leaning against a tree for balance as I waited for what was following me to catch up. "D-Don't… Don't be Aidou-San…"

The tree branches rustled again- not from the wind, but from force hitting them. "Hey, you! Day Class!" A surprisingly familiar voice shouted, swinging from the branch and swinging mid-air with what looked to be a metal pole. "Go back to the dorms! You know you're not allowed outside until after the day starts!"

The girl landed in front of me, covered in scrapes and dirt, and pointed the weapon at me with determined eyes. Yuuki faltered when she saw me, wine-red eyes wide. I gaped, unable to believe what I was seeing, before I lunged. Yuuki yelped and dropped the rod she was holding when I tackled her, my arms wrapped firmly around her neck. "Yuuki-Chan~! It's been so long!"

"E-Eh?  _Ehhhh!?_ R-Ren-Chan, you remember!?  _Your neck!"_

Oh, right. She's got a nice view of the bite now. I pulled away, bringing a hand up and resting it over the mark. "It's fine. Don't worry about it, Yuuki-Chan."

"Don't worry about it!? Ren-Chan,  _where_ did you get those!? Who-er, not that it was caused by a person because that's impossible! B-Because only Vampires could do that and Vampires don't really exist either, a-and-"

"Yuuki."

The girl stiffened, clamping her mouth shut as she stared me. I never thought about it before, but Yuuki and Zero were Kaien's children  _and_ prefects of the school. They're one of the only ones to be aware of the Night Class' identity… aren't they?

"I know, Yuuki-Chan… and I don't care."

"Y-You… don't?" Her voice went quiet, the girl seeming almost scared of me hating the Night Class. I shook my head at her.

"Nope. I have friends in the Night Class- I don't know about you, but I don't think it would be very  _friendly_ of me to start hating on them just because of something they can't control. It's fine~." I waved a hand, laughing. Man, seeing Yuuki really put me in a good mood. I don't even remember the last time I've spoken to her. "Besides, I made the person bite me. Don't worry about it. Now- I have a  _really_ important question for you."

Yuuki looked a little nervous when my voice turned serious. "O-Of course… wh-what is it?"

Placing my hands on her shoulders, I stared her right in the eyes and asked with a completely straight face, "...Can you lead me to your father's house?"

"...Eh?"

"...I'm supposed to meet him and Skylar there…"

The brunette paled greatly, surprising me with her sudden expression of horror. "S-Sky-Chan's not at the hospital anymore!? How!? Why!?"

I opened my mouth to explain, to tell her how Skylar broke in through the window, but wasn't given a chance when Yuuki grabbed my wrist and  _ran_. I shrieked, struggling to keep up, and the more I ran the more lightheaded I became. It was only when my legs gave out from the intense throbbing in my skull and the black spots dancing around that Yuuki stopped, pulled back from the weight of me falling.

"R-Ren-Chan!"

I struggled to catch my breath, unmoving as I sat there and waited for my vision to return to normal. I could barely hear Yuuki as she panicked, partially deaf from the ringing in my ears. Before I knew it, Yuuki had slung one of my arms around her shoulder and hoisted me up onto my feet with astonishing strength, the petite girl dragging me along with an arm around my waist.

"-get you… Headmaster… rest-"

I don't… understand… what she's saying.

"-loss… Night… Ren-Chan-"

My eyes closed against my will, body still weak, and when I opened them again I was greeted with a blindingly painful light and an intense throbbing in my skull. I groaned, rolling onto my side, and attempted to sit up. A familiar scent hit my nose- a scent of vanilla and cooking food- and when I tried to get up my arms nearly gave out on me. I ended up on my knees and leaning against the armrest, looking around groggily to decipher my location.

_This is… This is the living room, isn't it?_ Light peered in from the windows, the curtains pulled open, and brought immense light into the room.  _I'm having massive flashbacks right now…_

Ignoring the memories of Ichijou standing beside a window, I focused on the soft humming I could hear coming from the kitchen. The humming stopped, and then there were two voices.

_That's… Kaien and Yuuki, i-isn't it?_ Am I really at the Headmaster's house? I thought I was just in the forest… The pounding in my skull began to start again and I flinched, bringing a hand up and pressing it against my forehead.  _I-I was walking… and then… and then I saw Yuuki? Yeah. We ran and… and I guess I fainted again?_

Of course I did. Dang it. Ugh.

Sliding off the couch, I stumbled over and wobbled to the kitchen, stopping occasionally when my vision would start to blacken. It took about two minutes, but I finally managed to get to the entryway and leaned against the frame, staring at Kaien as he cooked and Yuuki set plates on the table.

"Wh… Where's… Skylar?" I choked, voice oddly raspy. Kaien jumped, while Yuuki looked at me in surprise. Ladle is his hand and a kitten apron tied around his torso, Kaien was the first to recover from his surprise with a beaming smile.

"Ah~ Irene-Chan! Come in, come in! Take a seat! Breakfast is almost ready!" I didn't move, merely staring at him in confusion as the familiar sight began to burn itself into my mind. I glanced around, making sure I didn't miss anything, and frowned. Skylar was nowhere to be seen. "Rosemary-San is resting, Irene-Chan… so please, take a seat. You really need to eat."

I stood there in the doorway, staring at him contemplatively, before letting out a small sigh and walking over to one of the side chairs, pulling it out and sitting down. Setting the food he had made down the table, I started to pile up food on my plate upon the familiar sight of omelettes, rice, and bacon. I didn't really feel hungry, but I knew he was right on the fact that I  _did_ need to eat.

Though reluctant, I cut off some of the omelette and took a bite, chewing with a pout as I wanted to know where my friend was. Yuuki sat down next to me, eyes full of concern, and glanced at me. "S-Sky-Chan is in the guest room… so, you can visit her after if you want."

I looked at Yuuki, stomach growling in hunger as soon as the flavor touched my tongue, and I swallowed the bite I had taken. "The guest room? That's… down the hall, isn't it?"

I remember going back-and-forth from there and to the kitchen. I think it's on the… left? Next to the bathroom?

Slowing down my eating so not to throw up, I tried to savor the delicious taste of the headmaster's cooking. Homemade food was always the best food, and Kaien was  _quite_ the good cook. It made me wonder what Mira would say or do if she ever met him- actually, knowing her, she'd probably try to flirt with him. Gods, that'd be a sight.

...I miss home. I miss my siblings, I miss all three of my parents, heck- I miss Mira. I miss Eliza, too, but when was the last time we even spoke? Even though my memories have returned, it still feels like ages.

"So, Irene-Chan…" Kaien sat down at the table, filling up his own plate with food, and was in the middle of cutting his omelette when he looked at me and started speaking. Yuuki looked highly uncomfortable, fidgeting in her seat and awkwardly taking bites of her food. My mouth full of food, I looked up and blinked at the adult. "Where'd you get those marks on your neck?"

Ah. Okay. So that's what this is about. Figures. Finishing chewing and swallowing, I took a quick swig of water that Yuuki had been a dear and poured for me, and I stared at Kaien with a blank expression on my face. "Depends. Will you be mad?"

Though I was still scared of arguing, my confrontation with Kaname made me a little more courageous. If it was to protect a friend, or to get back a friend, I was determined. Kaien's eyes widened in surprise, the sandy blond clearly having not expected such a retort from me. A small smile spreading across his lips, he shook his head. "Of course not, Irene-Chan. I just want to know who did it. You clearly know…"

"Maybe. But it doesn't really matter, right?" I pulled my eyes away from his, picking some of the rice up with the chopsticks I was struggling to use. "It was mutual. The person wanted to, and I let them. It's not like I wasn't willing."

Kaien stared at me with a stern expression, frowning deeply upon seeing how stubborn I was being. Then, when it became clear I wasn't going to give him any information, he sighed. "Jeez… you're as hard to talk to as Kiryuu-Kun right now. I just want to help. Did the Night Class even  _explain_ anything to you? Or are you already aware about the hierarchy and the hunters?"

"The… The what?" I nearly dropped the chopsticks. " _Hunters_?"

Yuuki stood, chair scraping the ground loudly as she pushed it in, and quietly excused herself as she placed the plates in the sink and made to leave the room. I watched her in confusion, only turning away when her back vanished in the hallway and into the room on the left. Probably where Skylar was sleeping.

"Yes…" Kaien spoke again, effectively catching my attention. His expression was grave as he spoke. "Many  _many_ years ago, when Vampires were starting to appear, there was a young woman. She was a Pureblood- a Vampire among Vampires- who had the ability to turn others  _into_ Vampires. Instead of doing so, however, she began to rally against the other Purebloods and their army of turned Humans, and gave her blood to Humans. Sometimes it acted as poison, other times it acted as a blessing- giving those Humans the ability to  _kill_  Vampires. Those Humans became known as Hunters."

"V… Vampire Hunters?" I knew murder was common, but… to know that there was a group out there  _specifically_ to kill people like those that were in the Night Class was… frightening. "They- why would they want to kill them!? They're all so nice!" Rima and Shiki, Eliza and Ichijou… they've never done anything wrong. "Wh-Why would they-"

"Because not  _all_ Vampires are good ones, Irene-Chan." He closed his eyes, lowering his head and lacing his fingers together on the table. "When a Pureblood turns a Human into a Vampire, two things can happen to them. The first is that after being bitten, they will be given the blood of the one who turned them and they will become a normal Vampire. But if they are bitten and do not receive that blood, they… will succumb to bloodlust. They'll lose all sense of self and attack others without a thought... They'll become what we call a Level-E."

"L-Level… E?"

"The "End"."

Realization suddenly dawned on me and I brought a hand up to my neck, feeling the sore indents and recalling how some of the Night Class members called Ichijou "Lord Takuma". Was he-  _no_. He would have told me! I had suspected he was higher up in whatever society he lived in, but… to think…

"Was the one who bit you Kaname-Kun?" Breath hitching in my throat, I looked up at Kaien with wide eyes and slowly shook my head.

"N-No, he- I never- n-no…"

"Then you won't be turning into a Vampire, Irene-Chan." Kaien looked mildly relieved at that, but not like it was surprising to hear that I wasn't the one Kaname had bit. "Nowadays, there are only a handful of Pureblood vampires left… and Kaname-Kun is one of them. Only he has the ability to turn you into a Vampire."

Heart nearly giving out in relief, I let out a breath. Kaien chuckled, but was soon cut off by a horrifically familiar voice.

"It's not polite to talk about others when they're in the room… Chairman Cross."

Standing there was the devil himself, white-and-black uniform on and his dark brown hair curling into his face. I froze in my seat, staring at him with alarm now that I had been told this new information. The Vampire of Vampires… a Pureblood. The way everyone treated him with such respect- even more so than Ichijou-was because he was practically their leader.

I had… I had yelled at him.

I  _yelled_ at Kaname. A man who could so-very easily drive me to the brink of insanity if he wanted. When he warned me about getting close to Ichijou- it was because he doubted I could handle being close to a Vampire. A Vampire that was  _his_ best friend. Dear  _gods_ what have I gotten myself into?

His garnet eyes stared down at me, intense and unbearable. I struggled to remain still underneath Kaname's terrifying gaze, heart racing so loud in my chest I could hear it threatening to give out from fear. My fingers dug into my knees, attempting to stop my hands from shaking. When the man spoke it was with a quiet voice, softly curious yet full of contempt. "You truly have no shame in bearing his mark so openly… do you, Terrier-San? I warned you of his intentions, of his nature, and yet you still cling so closely to him…"

"His mark?" Kaien echoed, turning his head sharply to stare at the Pureblood before looking down at me. "So it  _was_ Takuma-Kun who bit you?"

I flinched at Kaien's words and stood, bringing a hand up to my neck to hide the mark. Though I didn't necessarily care about it being shown before, I was starting to grow self-conscious about it now. "N-No! I'm not… I'm not saying who bit me. B-Besides, why do  _you_  care?" I shifted my attention from Kaien to Kaname, ignoring the way my voice cracked when I defended myself. "It's not like anyone else has seen it."

Taking a step forward, the tone in his voice darkened considerably. Kaien looked back-and-forth, wanting to stop the argument but not really wishing to get in the way of a Pureblood Vampire. I held my breath, standing my ground and refusing to blink as I met his threatening eyes. I wanted to run, to leave this room and vanish into nothingness, but I wasn't going to back down. I refused.

Too much was at stake.

"Anything involving Takuma is my business, Terrier-San," Kaname began calmly, narrowing his eyes, a shadow covering his expression as his bangs fell into his face, "and since you intend to remain close to him… that makes you someone of interest. Are you aware that Vampires can die from heartbreak?"

I started at that, looking up at him in surprise. What his words implied was a suggestion that Ichijou had feelings for me, but that couldn't be the case. I mean, I know I'm still confused over what I felt for him, but there's no way that he… would actually like me, right? There's no way.

"Wh… What does that have to do with anything?" I managed to speak up. Curiosity and denial was tearing away at me from inside my chest now and, though I knew I wouldn't really be satisfied unless Ichijou straight up said something to me, I wanted to know what this man was trying to me. "Why would he be heartbroken?"

"Because of  _your_ careless actions…" One second he was at the door, the next he was in front of me and I let out a small shriek as I stumbled back and fell into my chair, tipping it off balance and landing painfully on my back. I gasped and wheezed, and Kaien dashed to my aid in alarm.

"Kaname-Kun! Can't you see she's ill!?" Kaien glared up at him sternly, but Kaname blatantly ignored him in favor of staring down at me with glimmering red eyes.

"You claim he's a friend, that you care for him, but in the end you deny him… and dangle yourself in front him as if baiting him on. You let him drink your blood without knowing the meaning behind such an act, and let him shower you with such affection… Tell me, Terrier-San… just  _where_ does your heart lie? Or… do you even have one with how heartless you've been treating him?"

"H-Heartless…?" From my spot on the ground, I just stared at him dumbfounded. I had been described as many things in the past, but heartless was never one of them. And to think that it was  _this person_ out of everyone else who could have said it… well, it just angered me. A fire beginning to rage in my eyes, I pushed myself away from Kaien and stood, stepping closer to the Pureblood. Kaien protested loudly against my actions, but I ignored him. "You…  _You're_ calling  _me_ "heartless"!?"

I jabbed my finger against my chest as I spoke, the stitches in my palm stretching and threatening to rip as I moved my hands about as I talked.

"Who the hell do you think  _you_ are to go about calling  _me_ heartless!? If anyone's heartless here it's you, you… you…  _jerk-face!_ " Bastard. Moron. Hypocrite.  _Monster_. "You erased my memories, you had someone  _come into my room_ in the middle of the night and physically  _attack_ me! I remembered  _nothing_ about Takuma o-or Shiki, or Rima, and Skylar was so  _furious_ with that, th-that she left me alone to h-hunt you down, a-and do you know what?"

I went silent, pausing as I waited for him to react or even given a sign that he was listening. Kaname just stared down at me, quiet and unmoving, and a mixed look of concern and solemnity was forming on Kaien's face.

"There was  _nothing_. Everything- from day one and after- was  _gone_. O-Okay? Everyone a-and  _anyone_ I knew here was  _gone_ because they were all connected to  _him_ , a-and with all of that gone, I… I couldn't. Okay? Th-This big massive…  _chunk_ of my memories was gone, a-and they weren't coming back, and I had no friends because they were gone and Skylar was missing, a-and if it weren't for Shiki I would have thrown myself out that goddamn window when I had the chance."

I breathed in shakily, tears falling without my consent as I glared coldly at him, lip curled back and teeth ground tightly together.

"S-So… don't you go calling me heartless. I only spoke to you once until you made Takuma remove the rest of my memories, and you decided to have someone attack me. You claimed it was helping, but it was only making things  _worse_. You may be some otherworldly Vampire  _king_ , but you ain't no saint."

…

Yuuki had been checking on Skylar as she slept when she had heard shouting in the kitchen. It sounded like Irene, but there was a new voice alongside it. Leaving the room quietly, she had made it halfway down the hallway when she Irene yell about how she wanted to kill herself, how someone was made to attack her, and… how the person she was talking to was supposedly some Vampire King.

She didn't understand what was going on, so she got closer, leaning against the wall to listen as the conversation continued.

"Takuma said that you took my memories b-because being near me hurt him… but you keeping me away from him just made it worse. D-Dying from- from  _heartbreak_? If I-If I had actually leapt out that window,  _whose_ fault would that have been? Just  _what_ is your problem with me!?"

Yuuki froze at those words, quickly connecting the dots together.  _Upperclassman Ichijou? I knew Ren-Chan had her memories erased because it was threatening the co-existence of the classes, but it was actually because of Upperclassman Ichijou? Who is she talking to?_

It was only when the new voice spoke that Yuuki's heart nearly stopped beating, disbelief and shock hitting her hard. "Assuming I am to blame… when you are the one who refuses to give in? You have gained the trust, friendship, and even  _love_ from a Vampire… but you turn away from the truth continuously. Tell me; just what is there to benefit from such a constant state of doubt?"

No response. Irene didn't speak up again, dwelling in the silence that was defeat.

"I have no care for you... But for Takuma, who has always had an interest with humans and the time of day, has found one that shines brightly compared to the others that stick themselves to him… and yet she's so scared of the dark that she can't bring herself to take his hand. You are truly a pathetic existence."

_"_ _Kaname-Kun!_ "

Yuuki flinched at both her affection's cruel words and her foster father's sharp voice. She couldn't believe what she was hearing- there was no way Kaname would ever say something so mean. She knew he and Zero never got along, but he's never said anything so harsh and unforgiving to him. Why was he acting so mean towards to Irene?

"...not scared…"

Wait, what? Irene's voice was weak and barely audible. When she shouted, it was full of raw emotion.

"I'm not  _scared!_ I-I'm not…  _I'm not_ …"

"You are. You're scared of your pitiful heart and what Takuma causes you to feel. You're a coward."

He was speaking so coldly, but… was he actually trying to get her to realize something? Yuuki stepped away, feeling a little relieved at the thought. It was scary to think of the person she admired and liked being so harsh. It just wasn't the person she knew.

The man she knew was gentle and sweet, a little mysterious, and… so far out of her reach.

Letting out a breath, Yuuki nodded determinedly and headed back into the room, carefully covering Skylar with the blanket when the caramel-skinned girl gave a shiver.

…

I know I'm a coward. There was no reason why Kaname had to tell me that to get me to understand; I'm far from brave or strong. I wasn't like Skylar who, while she had her moments of shyness, was able to tackle a problem head on. I was a weak and scared little girl who was frightened of feelings close to the heart.

I fought for my memories; I pushed through the horrendous pain remembering brought because I desperate to have them back. To have Takuma back.

But it wasn't because I viewed him as a friend- it was because I viewed him as more than just a friend. He was someone I liked. Someone I  _wanted_ to be with, but would never allow myself to because of the uncertainty and fear that would come with approaching a relationship with him. Relationships rarely last, as seen with my parents and how they've divorced, and the amount of times my siblings had been abused or cheated on.

The amount of times Skylar had stalkers was pretty bad, too...

And I… was too scared to ever try a relationship. I didn't want to think about having feelings for someone and if I did I usually just suffocated those feelings until they dispersed. So what made Takuma any different? Why am I so desperate to keep him in my life when I was all to willing to snuff out any other feelings in past?

I don't understand it.

I shouldn't like him. I can't like him. I  _won't_ like him.

But I do. Skylar was right.

I love Ichijou Takuma.

And it was here, in the middle of an argument with the most powerful of Vampires, standing in the principal's kitchen, that I reached this realization. Strangling a cry that was welling up in the back of my throat, I squeezed my eyes shut and shook my head. "I hate you… I hate you so  _much_ …"

But I never wanted to fight with you. I never wanted to argue you. All I had ever wanted to do was apologize for yelling at you, but now… I had trouble trying to convince myself to forgive you. Opening my eyes and staring at the arrogant, calm Pureblood I tried to calm myself. To remind myself that violence and hatred never got anyone anywhere. I was supposed to be the voice of reason, to be the one that  _avoided_ arguments.

Until this moment, I've never been so mad at someone that I let my anger take control. I've always been able to control myself to some extent. And yet… I  _really_ wanted to grab hold of his hair and give it a good few yanks. Bastard.

"B-But can we…  _not_ keep doing this?" I choked out, resisting the intense urge to dig my nails into the palms of my hand. I really didn't want to rip open my stitches, but unfortunately I'm pretty sure my lip is already bleeding. I can't really feel much pain at the moment- there was too much adrenaline rushing through me. "C-Can't we just stop fighting… please?"

I don't want to hate him. He's friends with Takuma and Yuuki, so I really didn't want to have bad blood with him. However, his actions were making it very difficult for me to even think of being civil with him.

"Here I thought we were just having a conversation." Kaname responded, voice dripping with acid. Someone  _really_ didn't like me yelling at him. Taking a deep breath, I brought my hands up to my face and sighed. I was so done with everything. I just- I can't. Not anymore. I'm tired of all this bullcrap.

Turning my head away from Kaname to look at the headmaster, I asked, "M-May I… May I bring the rest of my food to the guest room? Please?"

"...Of course…" His voice was soft and quiet, almost as if he was uncertain of what he should say or do. I understand that feeling, at least. His expression then hardened as he turned his gaze onto Kaname, who remained unperturbed by the stare. "I need to have a talk with my other precious student, after all. Take all the food you want."

"Awesome. Thank you." Not really thinking about it, I stepped forward and gave him a quick hug. Kaien paused, startled by the action, before his eyes became more gentle and he smiled sadly, giving me a small pat on the back as I pulled away. Grabbing my plate and piling some more eggs and bacon on it, I stuck a piece of toast in my mouth as I walked passed the jerk that had started everything.

If it weren't for Ichijou and Yuuki liking him so much, I probably would have been totally okay with hating his existence.

Balancing the plate on my thigh as I raised my knee up, I opened the door and grabbed the plate before it or I could fall. I then closed the door behind me using my foot, walking it and standing there in silence as I gazed at the unconscious form of my best friend.

_Skylar…_

The tears started to well up again and I choked, Yuuki's head snapping up to look at me in alarm when I started crying again. Placing the plate down on a nearby nightstand, I made my way over and leaned down, hugging her as best as I could.

_Please wake up… please._ I need you. Please don't die.  _Please…._

"Ren-Chan…" Yuuki murmured, saddened, before trying to take on an optimistic approach. "She'll wake up soon, I'm sure of it! S-So… don't be too upset, okay? She'll get through this!"

Yeah. Yeah, she will. Because she's strong.

Pulling away, I sniffled and stared down at her. Skylar was a force of nature and nothing can keep her down for long.

Right?

…

Furious by the conversation and what had happened, Kaien pulled the seat up and pushed it back into the table, glaring at the powerful being standing across the room from him. "Kaname-Kun… as much as I respect you and depend on your power to keep the other Night Class students in check… I will  _not_ tolerate you attacking my harmless Day Class students! It's bad enough you're always antagonizing Kiryuu-Kun, but now you're going after innocent little Irene-Chan? Everything she's been doing was for Takuma-Kun!"

"Was it?" Kaname asked quietly, leaning against the edge of the table and crossing his arms. "It was your idea to bring foreigners to Japan; to hope that they'd be able to help bridge the gap between our races. A Vampire, a Hunter, and a girl… with no knowledge of her father's past. Her blood is already tainted, and though it is only I who you shared this with… it is enough of a threat that with her denial she'd have ended up  _hurting_ Takuma rather than helping."

Staring at him for a long moment, Kaien let out a heavy sigh and leaned down, using the top of the chair for an armrest. "Maybe so, but… she's trying her best. You can't fault her for that; you shouldn't have scared her so much."

The Headmaster then paused, eyes flickering with curiosity as he raised his head and stared suspicious at the pureblood.

"Could it be… that you respect her?"

…

Yuuki let out a small yelp when she heard the sound of glass shattering. Irene froze mid-bite of her omelette and looked at the door, eyes red and puffy from all the tears she had been crying earlier. Yanking out the rod from underneath her skirt, Yuuki dashed out of the room without warning, heading to the kitchen with the intent to defeat whatever broke into the house.

What she saw when she arrived, however, was  _not_ what she was expecting.

"KANAME-KUN! WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT BREAKING THINGS!? STOP BLOWING UP MY HOUSE!"

The headmaster screamed at the pureblood, waving a ladle around and trying his darndest to smack Kaname upside the head with it. The Vampire kept dodging, avoiding the hit with ease and only infuriating the sandy blond more.

"Do you have any  _idea_ how expensive it is to replace one window- let alone three!? Money isn't endless, you know! Stop breaking things! And stop  _moving!_ "

Yuuki slumped her shoulders, lowering the rod down to the ground and letting it give a small clack sound. "What even…?"

Kaname stopped moving and caught the ladle with his hand, Kaien pushing down with all his strength. The brunette looked over his shoulder and let a small smile grace his normally dark features, eyes lighting up ever so slightly at the sight of her. "Yuuki…"

Nearly dropping the rod, Yuuki stood up straight with flushed cheeks, suddenly embarrassed at the sound of him saying her name with such a smile. "U-Upperclassman Kaname…?" She had to play dumb. As long as she acts like she wasn't eavesdropping earlier there's no way he'll find out. "Um, w-what are you doing here?"

Twisting the ladle out of the headmaster's hands, he set it down on the table and walked forward, approaching the tiny girl and bringing a hand up to rest lightly upon her face. Yuuki stiffened at the touch, breath hitching in her throat when he leaned down so they were closer in height. "I wanted to speak with Chairman Cross… but I also wanted to see you. Have you been faring well?"

She opened her mouth to speak, but all that came out was gibberish. "I-I-I'm…" Taking a deep breath, she paused. Then, Yuuki pulled away. Kaname stared down at her with a small frown, standing straight and meeting her gaze when she looked up at him. "What's going to happen to Zero…?"

Kaien stepped up at that point, taking over for Kaname. "We aren't sure yet, Yuuki… that's what we were going to be discussing. Why don't you head to class? Kaname-Kun…" He turned to look at his immortal friend, a dark expression crossing his friend's face. "Why don't you go back to the dorms? We can continue this later tonight."

"...Very well. Yuuki?"

"Y-Yes!?" The girl straightened her back again, alarmed. "Wh-What is it, Upperclassman Kaname?"

"Shall I walk you to your class?"

"A-Ah, n-no, th-that's- that's okay! I-I can manage!" Bringing an arm up, she placed a hand on her bicep. The rod clattered to the ground, though she didn't pay much notice. "I-I'm a prefect, after all! I can handle myself!"

His smile was a little sad then as he gazed down at her. "Yes… you're all grown up now, aren't you? Alright… seeing as you insist. But next time I'll be a little more selfish."

"E-Eh?"

Placing a hand on her shoulder, Kaname gave her a light push to turn her around. He picked up the rod she had dropped it handed it to her, and started to walk passed her- only pausing to smile at her once more. The burn on his hand from the Anti-Vampire weapon barely bothered him. "I hope you have a good day at school… Yuuki."

 


End file.
